Battling Jonny Bairstow will not give up hope of England recall says Monty Panesar

THE former spin bowler Monty Panesar has praised the work ethic of his ex-Test team-mate Jonny Bairstow and said that the Yorkshireman will not give up hope of regaining his England place.

Bairstow played the last of his 100 Test matches against India at Dharamsala in March.

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He was overlooked for the recent white-ball fixtures against Australia.

Panesar, who played three Tests with Bairstow in 2012/2013, with Bairstow taking the catch for the last of Panesar’s 167 Test wickets at Melbourne in the Boxing Day Ashes Test of 2013, believes that the 35-year-old will keep battling away.

Jonny Bairstow, left, and Monty Panesar celebrate during the Boxing Day Ashes Test at Melbourne in 2013. Picture: William West/AFP via Getty Images.Jonny Bairstow, left, and Monty Panesar celebrate during the Boxing Day Ashes Test at Melbourne in 2013. Picture: William West/AFP via Getty Images.
Jonny Bairstow, left, and Monty Panesar celebrate during the Boxing Day Ashes Test at Melbourne in 2013. Picture: William West/AFP via Getty Images.

“He’s one of those guys - he’s not going to back down,” said Panesar, who will be in Yorkshire on October 19 to speak at Raworths Harrogate Literature Festival.

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“I know what he’s like. He’s a high-intensity cricketer. He loves training. He’ll keep pushing himself to get on that plane to Australia next year.

“That will probably be his goal. If he can get on there, or even when India come over to England for the five-Test series next year.

“Depending on how the winter goes for England, he will be training as hard as he can and trying to get the best out of himself, because that’s who Jonny Bairstow is. He won’t give up.”

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Panesar, 42, sees no reason why Jamie Smith, the current Test wicketkeeper, and Bairstow cannot play in the same side.

“I think they can,” he said. “Pope is a question mark, for example. You could push Smith up the order, or they could go back to having Jonny Bairstow as a solid No 5 attacking batsman, and so on. There’s still an opportunity there, whichever way they go.”

Panesar added: “Jonny just loves his cricket, loves being around people, loves giving back.

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"Huge credit to him because I’ve trained with him and he trains so hard.

“He just loves it, loves pushing himself, loves challenging himself, and so on.”

Panesar will recollect memories of his time with England at the Harrogate Literature Festival.

For tickets/the full itinerary of events, visit: harrogateinternationalfestivals.com or call the Box Office on 01423 562303.

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