 "Jonny Bairstow 100th Test")
Jonny Bairstow became the 17th player in England’s cricket history to play 100 Tests when he took the field at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Stadium in Dharamsala on Thursday, March 7, 2024.
Bairstow, who said that he is an emotional guy and asked the people in the press box to get the tissues, had his mother and the entire family cheering for him at the stadium located in the misty mountains of a sleepy town in North India.
Son of a Proud Mother
In particular, the man from Yorkshire was proud to see his mother watch him play the 100th Test. Son of a father who shot himself to death. Jonny's father played four Tests and 21 ODIs for England and represented Yorkshire in County Cricket for 20 years, Bairstow credits his mother for raising him and his siblings the way she did.
"The strength and courage she's shown to bring us up and support us through the journey is huge. Without her, we wouldn't be here today,” Bairstow was quoted as saying to BBC Sport on the eve of his 100th Test.
A Lucky Coincidence at Dharamsala
Making his debut in 2012 for England, even ahead of Joe Root and Ben Stokes, Bairstow, like his father David, who also kept wickets for Yorkshire and England was called Bluey because he had blue eyes. Coincidentally, the 34-year-old played his 100th ODI at Dharamsala as well, when he represented England in the 2023 ODI World Cup against Bangladesh.
However, when it comes to choosing between grounds, he called HPCA ‘picturesque’ but Newlands at Cape Town would always remain his favourite. But more than the grounds, what matters to Bairstow is living his dream.
"It means a hell of a lot. Every young kid that sets out on a journey of playing professional cricket wants to try and play 100 Test matches," said Bairstow.
Joint Most Hundreds in Calendar Year for the Englishman
Bairstow had his best year in Test in 2022 when he smashed six centuries, which is half the total number of centuries the Englishman has hit in his entire career. It remains the joint highest number of centuries for an Englishman in a calendar year. Denis Compton is the other English batter to hit these many centuries in a single year.
In the elite list with Root and Vaughan
It was courtesy of the six centuries that Bairstow hit a record 1470 runs in 29 innings. It was the highest for an England player in 2022. However, this helped him get into a list of elite English players where only Joe Root and Michael Vaughan before him were able to hit more than 1450 runs in a calendar year.
Most Runs in a Calendar Year for England in Tests
Most Runs in a Calendar Year for England in Tests
Seventh highest run-scorer for England
Bairstow might not be one of the highest run-getters in the Test. But being an all-format has pushed him to the seventh position when it comes to most runs in international cricket for England.
Stand with Stokes at Cape Town
What makes Bairstow stand out is his attacking approach in Test cricket, Though it hasn’t been on full display in this series so far, it was during the 399 runs stand between him and Stokes that showed what range of shots he has in store. His knock of 150 might not be the highest of his career, however, it was one of those that established him as one of the fiercest Test batters going around.
Maybe eight years later, he could channelise to bring the best in him once again in his 100th Test to try and salvage his career once again.
