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'If Sunil Gavaskar wants, he can call or message me, I'll speak about my will for Test cricket': Jonny Bairstow
England opener Jonny Bairstow said India legend Sunil Gavaskar is more than welcome to call or message him and discuss about his ‘will’ to play Test cricket while adding that he hadn’t heard what the former India captain had actually said.
After slamming a match-winning hundred in the 2nd ODI against India, England opener Jonny Bairstow responded to legendary India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar’s comments about the right-hander being ‘uninterested’ while batting in Test cricket.
Bairstow said Gavaskar is more than welcome to call or message him and discuss about his ‘will’ to play Test cricket while adding that he hadn’t heard what the former India 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.
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"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.
Bairstow has been in terrific form in the ODI series so far with scores of 94 and 124 to his name but the scenario was quite different in the Test series. The attacking right-hander registered three ducks in four innings and appeared to be clueless against India sinners during the Test series.
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It was then during the last Test at Ahmedabad that Gavaskar in commentary had made that ‘uninterested’ for Test cricket remark after Bairstow was dismissed in the 2nd innings. While it did appear to be a tongue-in-cheek remark but it sparked a debate about Bairstow’s Test future in the England media.
Bairstow and Ben Stokes played knocks of 124 and 99 respectively as England chased down the 337-run target with utmost ease in the second ODI played at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium.
England was in the chase right from the word go as the openers stitched a 110-run stand for the first wicket. Bairstow, who went all guns blazing on the Indian bowlers, credited visitors' batting depth for playing fearless cricket.
"We have Adil Rashid coming in at 10 or 11. Adil on his own rights has got 10 first class hundreds. To have that kind of player coming in at 10 or 11, not many teams around the world have that," said Bairstow during the virtual press conference.
"If you couple that with the power-hitters in Moeen Ali, Curran brothers, the list can go on. So yeah, definitely does give you a lot of confidence knowing that the batting lineup is strong," he added.
The series decider will be played at the same venue on Sunday.
(With ANI inputs)
