Jonny Bairstow silenced his critics with a blazing 99 not out in the fourth Test against Australia in Manchester. His aggressive innings helped England take control of the match as they piled up 592 in reply to Australia’s 317-all out. Bairstow, who became the 7th batter in Test history to be stranded on 99, expressed his frustration at the unwarranted criticism he has faced.

“You’ve got to have a bit of perspective on it. I’ve not played in months and I’ve not kept properly in three years. There’s obviously been a lot of talk and things like that, some of which I think has been a bit out of order to be honest, but that’s part and parcel of people having an opinion,” Jonny Bairstow told the BBC.

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Despite the controversy surrounding his stumping in the Lord’s Test, Jonny Bairstow maintained his focus and determination. He has 12 centuries in his Test career and emphasized that the criticism hasn’t deterred him from performing at the highest level.

“Everyone thinks I play better when people have a go at me. It gets a bit tiresome, to be honest. I’ve played a lot of cricket now. To keep being told you’re rubbish — if I was that rubbish, I wouldn’t have played 94 Tests,” the 33-year-old asserted.

Run Machine

𝘢𝘥𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦
1. A batter competent or capable of scoring quickly

2. Jonny Bairstow #EnglandCricket | #Ashes pic.twitter.com/HXGH8W0w8f

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 21, 2023

As England dominated the proceedings in the fourth Test, Australia found themselves struggling at 113/4 at stumps on Day 3. Pacer Josh Hazlewood expressed his hope for rain interruptions, which could ease their predicament. He also acknowledged that Australia’s captain Pat Cummins faced a challenging experience against England’s aggressive batting.

“It’s a good learning experience. He’ll (Cummins) no doubt sit down with the coaches and go through a few things, but he’s a very quick learner,” said Josh Hazlewood.

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The explosive innings of Jonny Bairstow not only gave England a strong position in the Test match but also served as a reminder of his formidable talent and resilience in the face of criticism. As the Ashes series continues, both teams will be looking to make strategic adjustments and capitalize on crucial moments to gain an edge in this high-stakes contest.