IPL 2019 | You go to the IPL to play against the best in the world, reveals Jonny Bairstow

England’s Jonny Bairstow along with Australian batsman David Warner were arguably one of the best opening pairs in this year’s Indian Premier League. The duo terrorised bowlers throughout the group stages but had to depart early from the tournament due to obligations with their respective national teams. Their presence was definitely missed as Sunrisers Hyderabad fell to a disappointing loss at the hands of Delhi Capitals in the eliminator on Wednesday.

However, Bairstow who scored 445 runs from 10 IPL matches this season, was ecstatic that he got an opportunity to play in the highly-rated Indian T20 league for the first time in his career. The English wicket-keeper batsman revealed that playing in the IPL helped him develop his skills as he went up against some of the biggest names in cricket.

“You go to the IPL to develop your skills, to put them up against the best in the world.”

“We saw Jos (Buttler) coming back into the Test side last summer after a brilliant IPL. The competition over there can only improve your skills,” Bairstow said a recent interview with Sky Sports.

Over the last couple of years or so, Bairstow has been a mainstay at the top of England’s batting order in ODI cricket. In 59 ODIs, he averages 46.04 and has six centuries to his name.

“I am going World Cup because it’s been so long since we’ve had an opportunity to win one.

“I think that the amount of work that has gone into this group of players over the last couple of years, building and building, I firmly believe we’ve put an amount of effort in that gives us the best chance,” Bairstow added.

England will play two warm-up games against Australia and Afghanistan before they begin their World Cup campaign against South Africa on May 30 at the Oval.