IND vs ENG | We didn't go crash, bang, wallop from start but only after 3-4 overs, states Jonny Bairstow
Bairstow helped England get off to a flyer in the first ODI
|BCCI
England ODI opener Jonny Bairstow has asserted that the English side didn't go on an all-out attack right from the word go in the ODI series opener and only went hard after three-four overs. He also added that he's happy with the way he did in the T20I series and is keen to do well at 3 in Tests.
Before the great England collapse happened in the first ODI, at one stage, the Three Lions were in the driver's seat, hammering Indian bowlers to all nooks and corners of the ground led by their openers, Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy. At one point in the time, it was hard to differentiate between the T20 and ODI format as English openers were batting at such a rapid pace as if it was the shortest format game. They had scored 89 runs in the first powerplay and added 135 runs in 14.2 overs in a dominating manner.
It was the 12th-century stand in ODIs by Roy and Bairstow. Reflecting on his chemistry with Roy, he revealed that it's just about doing simple things. On the team's approach, he said that they didn't go on an attacking mode from ball one and took their time early on.
"It's an easy chemistry. There's no great shakes to it. We speak about very simple things out in the middle and keep things very simple. It's a very go-with-how-the-game-pans-out approach. It wasn't a crash, bang, wallop start. People might think, 'they've gone from ball one', but in actual fact we hadn't. There was probably three overs, four overs at the start where it was very much toned back and we went a different route," Bairstow said, reported ESPNCricinfo.
Bairstow bats at different spots in all three formats. He batted at 3 in Tests, 4 in the T20Is and is now opening in the ODIs. He expressed his happiness at doing well in the recently-concluded T20Is against India.
"I was happy in the T20s, the runs I scored there batting at No. 4 and contributing, being there at the end in two of the games was really pleasing to me. If you take South Africa in, to be at the end at Newlands and the end in two of these games here, I'm pretty happy with how that's going.
"It's a different role, but at the same time, it's a good role to be in because you've got an opportunity to be there at the end, winning games."
After missing out on the first two Tests due to rest and rotation policy, Bairstow was back at the No.3 position for the Ahmedabad leg of the Test series and had a hard time. However, he's keen to bat at 3 and do well for the side.
"I'm very keen to do that. People will have spoken about the last two Tests here but, prior to that in Sri Lanka, to score the runs and come in at three, and previously at three for England I've been pretty happy. Hopefully I do get more than four games there... even with those lower scores in the last couple of Tests, average-wise, it was still okay.
"There wasn't anyone in those last two games that exactly lit it up, was there? So a pink-ball Test match at a new venue that nobody scored any runs at, and then obviously the last game, I thought, an umpire's call decision that didn't necessarily go my way in the first innings, but to be honest with you, I'm happy with where my game's at and how I'm striking the ball."
