Jonny Bairstow's Ashes chances: Yorkshire CCC star on the 'right track' to return after freak injury

The 33-year-old Yorkshireman underwent successful surgery on a broken leg and dislocated ankle in September after a freak golf incident, ruling him out of his country’s victorious T20 World Cup campaign and the Test tour of Pakistan.

Prior to the injury, Bairstow was in excellent form during a year which produced four Test hundreds and an average of 75.66.

“It (the leg) is improving, we’re on the right track, we’re about four-and-a-half months post it (the injury) happening now,” Bairstow said at the Marylebone Cricket Club ‘spirit of cricket’ panel.

“I haven’t actually got a return date just yet but I’m seeing a surgeon later on in the month so we’ll wait and see how that goes, but things are tracking in the right direction.

“It’s a bit more complicated than just breaking your leg, but that’s just one of the things that you deal with.

“Everyone has been dealt a card, everyone has challenges put in front of them, but it’s just another thing you can overcome.”

Bairstow has spent a rare winter at home and admitted it has taken some getting used to.

“It’s been a lot different, taking the injury away from it, not being on x amount of planes and flying everywhere and being around a group of lads, being at home has been a lot different,” Bairstow said.

“It’s been quite good at times, it’s been quite boring at times.

“It has been tricky, obviously the night before I did my ankle, I spoke to Matthew Mott and Jos (Buttler) and they spoke about me opening the batting in T20 side and that’s what I’ve been wanting to do for a little period of time, so I was absolutely delighted.

“And then it’s amazing how quickly things can turn on it’s head, within 12 hours I was laying on a hospital bed, my leg in a cast and my ankle being put back in place.”

On the field, Jofra Archer welcomed his unfamiliar role in England’s consolation 59-run victory over South Africa after walking away with career-best international figures in Kimberley.

For the first time in his ODI career, Archer did not open the bowling as Chris Woakes and Reece Topley operated in tandem at the outset of South Africa’s unsuccessful pursuit of England’s 346-7.

But he was called upon time and again to make the breakthrough and delivered for Jos Buttler on each occasion, collecting 6-40 in 9.1 overs as England bowled South Africa out for 287 and ended their five-match losing run.

“When you’re bowling that role, it’s similar to what (Liam) Plunkett used to do, I just bowl the same thing, I actually quite like it, forget about opening the bowling,” Archer said.

“It’s not a bad gig, I was telling Stoney, this is every over you bowled last game, we might have to fight for this, I’m quite liking it. Some days everything you touch turns to gold and (this) was mine.

“It’s new and I enjoyed it, it’s weird bowling your second or third over with field spread, it also boosts your confidence, if you bowl a ball you’re not 100 per cent happy with, you’ve still got cover.”