After breaking his left leg in three places last August, Jonny Bairstow feared he might never be able to walk again.
Tuesday marked the culmination of Bairstow’s recuperation from the terrible accident he experienced while playing golf. The 33-year-old was reinstated to England’s team for the opening Test against Ireland ahead of the Ashes after eight months on the sidelines during which time he missed six Tests and England’s victory at the T20 World Cup.
The incident derailed Jonny Bairstow‘s outstanding 2022. In Ben Stokes’ first summer in charge, he amassed 681 runs, including four centuries, at an average of 75.66, making him the symbol of an intriguing new style of cricket.
As a result, when Yorkshire resumed competitive play last month, a recall was anticipated. But there was a little more fear for the man himself.
The months that were spent gradually regaining strength were filled with uncertainties and concerns. The frustration that had been mounting over a protracted recuperation time was increased by the initial expectation that he would be healthy enough to fulfill his IPL contract with Punjab Kings. Aside from cricket, there were ideas that perhaps even ordinary life will change.
“You wonder whether or not you’ll be able to walk again, jog again, run again, play cricket again,”
Bairstow said.
“Absolutely, those things do go through your mind.
“It depends how long you think about them. There are many different things, until you get back to playing, well… you wonder, is it going to feel the same?”
Although there are no psychological scars, Bairstow acknowledged that the accident had altered his walk. Not that he is concerned, mind you.
“It’s quite funny, people have said, ‘You’re limping’. Well, I don’t know anyone that’s had a major lower leg injury that does walk exactly the same as previously. There are going to be little limps, there are going to be aches, pains, that’s part and parcel of it. Whether it’s knees, hips, ankles, lower back, whatever it is.
“When there’s trauma, there’s going to be an adaptation to the way that your body moves or your body walks, that’s just part and parcel of it. I’m not going to be running exactly the same as last year, but that’s okay.”
For the first time since 2019, Bairstow rejected worries that his left leg might limit his ability to serve as England’s chosen wicketkeeper. He has manned the wickets for 299.4 overs since rejoining his county, evenly split between matches against Durham and Glamorgan.
This weekend, he will compete for Yorkshire in the T20 Blast at Edgbaston. He will then train at Headingley before joining the England team for the Ireland Test. When asked if that meant returning to the golf course as part of a suggested team trip to Scotland prior to the international program, he responded, “No comment.”
“I don’t think it’s different to fielding – when you’re sprinting, changing direction,” Bairstow said of keeping wicket. “You’re squatting at the stumps and moving laterally, but you’re not running 25ks to the boundary. So, it’s a different kind of fitness – the old legs and glutes are a bit stiff after that first day in the dirt but it’s part and parcel of it.
“That first second XI game (against Nottinghamshire before his return to 1st XI cricket), I kept 100 overs in the game. The last two Champo games – it’s been building nicely. A day off, train, train, train. It’s been back-to-back and there hasn’t been any reaction. If it swells up, you know there’s something wrong. So it’s positive.”
Ben Foakes received bad news upon Bairstow’s return and was later dropped from the England team. Since the beginning of the summer, Foakes has maintained wicket in nine out of the 12 games, earning praise from both captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum.
Foakes had to make way, nevertheless, as a result of the winter’s rise of Harry Brook and the team’s continued use of Zak Crawley as the opener. Bairstow understood the plight of the Surrey keeper-batter.
“He’s been an integral part of the last 12 months and how he’s gone about it,”
Bairstow said.
“It’s something which is never easy and I’ve been on the end of it. So absolutely I’ve got some sympathies for Ben. I’ve no doubts he’ll be back in the fold at some point soon.”
It is important to remember Bairstow’s history with the gloves because it is a well-told tale. It has long been a source of pleasure for Jonny that in 49 of his 89 caps so far, he has been able to keep for Yorkshire and England, just like his late father, David, who also played for England.
“I’m excited. It’s going to be a new challenge again because it is obviously something I’ve done quite a bit, but then there are periods when you don’t do it as much because you’re playing as a batter. Or playing white-ball cricket or whatever. It is an exciting challenge that awaits.”
With the added burden of the gloves, it is uncertain whether he will be able to repeat his feats from 2022, but Bairstow emphasizes his outstanding year in 2016.
He set records for a Test wicket keeper in a calendar year with 1,470 runs and 70 dismissals in 17 appearances. It, in his opinion, was proof that he was a better keeper-batter than Foakes, who is universally considered as the better gloveman.
“That was an amazing year. That was very special, keeping and batting. They’re the things you draw upon when people ask if you can do it, absolutely, there’s past history. I was at No.7 too.
“That was the whole role – the selectors wanted someone at seven who was able to bat with the top order but also be able to score runs with the tail. You don’t need to be a genius to work that bit out. Someone like Adam Gilchrist changed the way keeper-batsmen were viewed.”
“He wasn’t the best keeper in Australia – he was the best keeper-batter in Australia then won games of cricket for Australia on the back of how he went and played. And Dhoni…you can go through the whole world and look at people who are better keepers, better batters and it’s then a combined thing that then comes into it.”
Bairstow conceded that the winter had “been a lot of fun, and I’ve missed it” but expressed no resentment for missing out on the T20 World Cup success, the 3-0 win in Pakistan, and the thrilling 1-1 draw in New Zealand.
Particularly in the case of the World Cup in Australia, Bairstow would have been a significant player in all three. He was told he will bat first in the competition alongside Jos Buttler before his injury.
“Watching the lads win it filled me with a huge amount of pride. And the emotions you go through on that morning watching the lads (in the final).”
“Everything else has been great to watch as well as be a part of it because, even though you’re injured, you’re still a part of the group. The boys have been brilliant; stayed in contact, staying in the loop and having conversations around everything. The odd Facetime, the lads talking utter rubbish.”
Bairstow acknowledged feeling a great sense of satisfaction after McCullum informed him of his selection. A new chapter has begun following the difficulties of the winter.
“I was buzzing. It filled me with a lot of pride again. I’ve said there’s been some dark times this winter and it’s been tough so to get that phone call after all the emotions you go through and everything else this winter…there’s a huge amount of pride that goes into it. Yes, getting that phone call…it was awesome.”