Mark Butcher believes that the England management must have factored in Jonny Bairstow‘s rustiness behind the stumps when opting for the aggressive batter over the incumbent Ben Foakes.
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After recovering from a broken leg that kept him out of action all winter, Bairstow was reinstated as the side’s wicketkeeper, effectively taking over the gloves from Foakes who had been the first choice keeper for the majority of Ben Stokes’ reign as captain.
After Harry Brook’s breakthrough winter at No. 5 – where Bairstow had been batting without the gloves before his injury – England omitted Foakes and instead gave the gloves to Bairstow, who had kept wicket for England 49 times in Test cricket between 2013 and 2021.
There were some concerns over Bairstow’s match fitness and current wicketkeeping form when compared to Foakes. Three days into the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston, those concerns seem to have been vindicated to some extent as Bairstow has had a mixed bag behind the stumps.
While he took an outstanding catch to dismiss Marnus Labuschagne for a golden duck on day two, he has also missed at least three simpler opportunities over the next four sessions.
The first of these mistakes behind the stumps was an straightforward stumping chance that gave Cam Green an early life. Having just lost Travis Head, Australia were 148-4. Green stepped out to take on Moeen Ali off just the second ball he faced and was beaten by the flight and turn.
Bairstow could not grasp the ball properly. It bounced off his gloves, striking him closer to his wrist than the middle of the palm. Green made 38 crucial runs that could have a big impact towards the eventual result of the game.
Alex Carey was the next beneficiary of Bairstow’s sloppy glovework. Bairstow dropped Carey twice, off an outside edge off Joe Root on 27, and off James Anderson on the third morning while on 52. Carey eventually scored 66.
While Bairstow’s performance behind the stumps has been criticised in some quarters, Butcher tried to make sense of his selection in the larger context of England’s commitment to the aggressive gameplan, while also highlighting that his form and fitness are major concerns.
Speaking on the Wisden Ashes Daily Podcast, Butcher said: “It’s incredible, that attitude of just trying to create chances no matter the cost, and just how discombobulating that can be for batters who are used to playing the game in a completely different way at a completely different rhythm is wonderful to behold, and that’s not something we should be surprised about.
“You mentioned 15 chances. Jonny Bairstow catches an absolute blinder to get rid of Marnus Labuschagne and then bins three much more straightforward ones later on, so there’s another talking point coming back to us again.
“That’s all baked into the decision that they made a long time back, and that’s how they want to go about it. My issue with the whole thing was more what it would potentially do to Jonny Bairstow’s run-making prowess at No.5. The fact that he is not in the greatest form and fitness to keep wicket after that terrible broken leg in five Test matches in six weeks, of course it’s a huge concern. It’s exactly the same concern as I have with bringing Moeen Ali out of retirement, and we’re seeing how that’s working out for us at the moment.
Butcher went on to explain that England are willing to accept the occasional error behind the stumps as they can cover up for them with their novel approach: “These decisions are baked into a philosophy that says, ‘We will go out there with our most attacking, our most pugnacious line-up, and if there are a few mistakes along the way, so be it. We’ll make enough chances or score enough runs to cover up for the errors elsewhere.’
“I’m not making excuses for it because I don’t need to. What I’m saying is, with things like that, you can say, with this aggressive brand of cricket, those types of things are baked in. You’re going to get misses like that. You’re going to get errors like that.”
While he has had a tough time behind the stumps, Bairstow did well in front of it in his comeback knock in the first innings, scoring a run-a-ball 78. With England effectively 35-2 at the end of day three, England will need him to come good with the bat again in the second innings.
