England batsman Jonny Bairstow hits back at Sunil Gavaskar for questioning his intent in Test Cricket says ‘Sunil Gavaskar is welcome to give me a ring and talk about my Test Cricket’
Byline By- Vinayak Heliwal
England star Jonny Bairstow has hit back at Sunil Gavaskar for the latter’s comment about him being ‘uninterested’ while batting in Test Cricket.
After slamming a powerpack matchwinning hundred in the 2nd ODI against India, England opener Jonny Bairstow has quashed off Sunil Gavaskar’s claims of him not enjoying batting in the longest format of the game.
Bairstow said that Gavaskar is more than welcome to call or message him and discuss his ‘will’ to play Test Cricket while adding that he hadn’t heard what the former Indian Captain had actually said.
“First of all, no, I hadn’t heard that, and secondly, I am interested as to how opinion can have been made especially when there has been no correspondence and communication between myself and him” He said.
“So he is more than welcome to give me a ring and I will speak to him about my will to do well in Test cricket and the enjoyment I do get out of playing Test cricket. As I said, my phone is on. If he wants, he can call or message me,” Bairstow said after leading England to a comfortable six-wicket win over India to level the three-match series 1-1 in Pune.
For the unversed Baristow had scored 0,0,0 and 28 in the four innings that he played in England’s 1-3 defeat against India, prompting Gavaskar to comment that he looked ‘uninterested’.
“You have not scored a run, and just come in and pushed at it, as if there was no fielder at backward short leg. It looked to me as if it was the shot of a person uninterested. What’s he trying to do? The first ball, he should be looking to play a soft defensive shot. There is a fielder there at backward short leg. Uninterested,” Gavaskar had said.
Meanwhile, Bairstow has been in terrific form in the ODI series so far with scores of 94 and 124. Bairstow’s brilliance helped England to chase down the 337 run target with utmost ease in the second ODI played at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium.