Jonny Bairstow dismisses batting collapse in final warm-up as a blip

“We scored nearly 300 twice in both games. Yeah it needs a little bit of , but not much,” Bairstow, who top-scored with 64, told a news conference after the final warm-up at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on Jan 12.

“You are scoring 300 and there is a little bit of collapse. If you don’t collapse then we would be scoring much more. I don’t think it’s too much of a concern. As a side, we have been doing really well and scoring 300 pretty regularly. In a way it’s good that it has happened here and not in Pune. It gives us a chance to refocus. It is kind of a kick in the back.”

England slipped from 163 for 3 to 211 for 9 before the last-wicket pair of Adil Rashid and David Willey lifted the side to 282. India A won by six wickets with more than 10 overs to spare.

“The pitch was alright (today). It was different to the other night. It held up a bit more, and perhaps did a bit more off the seam and was perhaps a bit more two-paced,” said Bairstow, referring to the first warm-up that England won.

“You have to hand it to them, they played well. We didn’t hit our straps while bowling and they hammered us.”

Despite top-scoring,  Bairstow is unlikely to play in Pune, as batting mainstay Joe Root joined the team after staying back to witness the birth of his first child.

“If Rooty is back, he plays. I don’t think there is any decision to be made there to be quite honest. Everyone is aware that if Root is back in the country then he plays. If that is not the case then I would think my name is in the hat,” Bairstow said.

“My form just recently in India in the Test series was pretty good. I am trying to take my Test form into one-day cricket with any opportunity I get. So I would like to believe I have an opportunity in the (ODI) series.

“Playing in the Test series in these conditions will naturally help the process. It is something that is helpful for me personally, having been accustomed to conditions over two and half to three months in Bangladesh and in India. Having faced Ashwin and Jadeja in Test matches, they have got some good skills. It is well documented. It’s a great challenge. It’s the same as when India come over to England with the white ball swinging.”