Jonny Bairstow, the explosive English batsman, is set to make his long-awaited return to Yorkshire’s County Championship side this week. After a six-week break, the competition resumes with Bairstow eager to prove his worth and regain his place in the England team.
Bairstow has only played two first-class matches for Yorkshire since the end of the 2020 season, due to his commitments with England and the Indian Premier League (IPL). He has yet to feature for his home county in any format this season, having taken a break after the T20 World Cup and the Hundred.
However, Bairstow will be back in action on Thursday against Sussex at Scarborough. Yorkshire currently sit just outside the promotion places in Division Two, four points behind second-placed Middlesex. They have a chance to close the 27-point gap on leaders Sussex this week.
Bairstow’s return is a major boost for Yorkshire, who have struggled for consistency in his absence. The 32-year-old is a proven match-winner and his experience will be invaluable in the final five games of the season.
Bairstow lost his place in England’s Test team after a disappointing tour of India earlier this year. He is unlikely to feature in the upcoming T20I and ODI series against Australia in September. However, he remains determined to regain his place in the national side.
“All I want to do is play for England,” Bairstow said at the start of the Hundred. “I’m not going to give up on that.”
Yorkshire head coach Ottis Gibson believes Bairstow can rediscover his best form at the county level.
“Jonny still has ambitions of getting back into the England team,” Gibson said. “We can help him get into a position where he puts good performances in, and everybody benefits from that.”
Yorkshire confirmed on Monday that Bairstow is available to play at Scarborough after recovering from a shoulder niggle. However, his availability for the final four games of the season has not yet been confirmed.
