Jonny Bairstow is relieved his left leg passed its first major stress-test in the Ashes as he prepares for a different challenge over the next few weeks.
A freak accident a year ago left Bairstow with three fractures, ligament damage and a dislocated ankle, with his surgeon comparing the subsequent operation to “putting Humpty Dumpty back together again”.
In order to facilitate his England return at the start of the summer, Bairstow ousted Ben Foakes as wicketkeeper and initially struggled to adjust to the full-time role after four years of not doing so.
He missed eight chances in the first three Tests and his movement appeared compromised on occasion, but a blinding catch at Emirates Old Trafford and a typically belligerent 99 not out was followed by Bairstow reminding everyone he was still feeling his way back in a spiky press conference last month.
And Bairstow ended his Test summer with a flourish following a dashing 78 and another excellent grab to accelerate England’s push for victory on the final day at the Kia Oval in a 2-2 drawn series.
“I feel good,” he said. “The ankle has held up really well, I’m delighted with how it’s held up. I’m delighted with how free I’m feeling at the moment.
“There’s naturally an unknown when you’re coming back from it. There’s times when you can turn or you can keep on it or twist on it or whatever.
“I don’t know what actually makes it flare up or if it does but it hasn’t done, so that’s a fantastic thing for me and gives me a huge amount of confidence going onwards.”
Bairstow is set to take some time off but will play in The Hundred before England face New Zealand and Ireland in September ahead of the start of their 50-over World Cup title defence in India in October.
With Jos Buttler donning the gloves in the white-ball sides, Bairstow is used as a boundary rider but the Yorkshireman hinted at a change as the role necessitates more running than being inside the ring.
“It’s one of those where in some ways you might have to be a bit clever with it,” Bairstow said.
“Do you actually need to do that when someone else can do that? Can I utilise my different skillset in the ring? I can go out there, absolutely, but it’s risk and reward and everything that goes with it.”
With such a packed schedule on the horizon, Bairstow has given no thought to England’s next Test assignment, when they will head to India in early 2024 for a five-match series.
The trip is on the radar of Zak Crawley, who was initially rumoured to be the player to make way for Bairstow in the Ashes but ended up being England’s leading run-scorer with 480 at an average of 53.33.
England were greeted with prodigiously turning tracks on their last visit to India and the expectation is they will have to come through another trial by spin – although Crawley is hopeful of some variety.
“Sometimes in India it seams and swings a bit and they’ve got unbelievable seamers as well so hopefully there are a couple of pitches there that are like that as well, that will suit us a bit more,” he said.
“I feel like we play spin really well as well, we’ll just have to adapt and see what we get. I don’t know if they’re going to be raggers (turning pitches) like Ahmedabad and Chennai, where we were last time.”
Crawley set the tone for England at the outset of the Ashes by crunching the first ball of the series off Pat Cummins for four, while his runs came at a remarkable 88.72 strike-rate.
He looked assured on the whole against Australia’s vaunted quicks, boosted by his display against them in Sydney in January 2022, when he made a classy 77 that he rated as his best innings until recently.
“Before this series, that was the best knock I’ve ever played so it gave me a lot of confidence that under the pressure of fast bowling, that could bring out the best in me,” he added.
Inglis hails 'hard to stop' Stoinis after ruthless knock
Josh Inglis lauded "hard to stop" Marcus Stoinis as Australia signed off their T20I series against Pakistan in style, claiming a whitewash.
The hosts raced to a seven-wicket victory with almost nine overs remaining in Monday's third match.
After Australia's bowlers had limited Pakistan to just 117 runs, Stoinis ensured they signed off their final white-ball assignment in style, with his unbeaten 61 doing the damage.
Only twice has he bettered that knock in T20Is – versus New Zealand in 2021 (78) and against Oman at the World Cup earlier this year (67*).
"It's been a great week. We've had a lot of fun as a group," Inglis said. "It's been really nice.
"When Stoinis is going like that, he is really hard to stop. One of those sixes was probably the biggest I've ever seen!"
Stoinis, who was named player of the match, added: "Nice to score some runs on a beautiful wicket but credit to the bowlers who kept the total down.
"Yeah, I actually told [Haris] Rauf that this is the first time any of us got the better of him! No, he's a brilliant bowler, bowled well this series."
During their white-ball tour, Pakistan won the ODI series, their first time doing so in Australia in 22 years, but got whitewashed in the T20Is.
Despite the heavy loss, captain Agha Salman chose to focus on the positive effect the experience will have on their young players.
"I think in the middle overs, we didn't capitalise on the start," he said. "But lots of positives.
"The way Usman [Khan] batted, the way Jahandad [Khan] bowled. These youngsters will come good.
"It's obviously a big achievement winning the ODI series, but we could have done much better in the T20Is."
Salt century gives England winning start to West Indies T20 series
Phil Salt hit a superb century as England drew first blood in their T20 series against West Indies, with a commanding eight-wicket victory at the Kensington Oval.
Salt's unbeaten 103 off 54 balls was the highlight for the tourists, who successfully chased down their target of 183 with 19 balls to spare.
The West Indies endured a difficult start and were reduced to 18-3 and later 117-8, with Saqib Mahmood (4-34) and Adil Rashid (3-32) doing the damage.
However, the hosts managed 65 runs in the last 5.2 overs to finish at 182-8, with Gukadesh Motie knocking 33 off 14 balls along the way.
Salt kick-started England's chase with 50 off just 25 deliveries taking them to 73-1 after six overs, with Will Jacks (17) dismissed with the final ball of the powerplay.
Jos Buttler's first match after four months out lasted just three minutes, as the skipper was caught by Motie for a golden duck.
However, it proved a false dawn for West Indies, with Salt and Jacob Bethall (58 from 36 balls) safely steering England to victory.
Data Debrief: Salt completes hat-trick of hundreds as Bethell makes historic half-century
England put their disappointing ODI series behind them, making history with the highest T20 chase at the Kensington Oval.
Salt was the hero with his third T20I century, all of which have come against West Indies in the past 12 months.
Bethell also made history on Saturday. Aged 21 years and 17 days, he become the youngest England player to score a 50 in a T20I.
Asalanka leads Sri Lanka to ODI series win over West Indies
Sri Lanka wrapped up the ODI series against the West Indies with a five-wicket victory in Pallekele.
The hosts successfully chased down their opponents' total of 189, giving them an unassailable 2-0 in the three-match series.
Sri Lanka controlled the early powerplay - Asitha Fernando (3-35) and Maheesh Theekshana (3-25) took two wickets apiece to leave the tourists at 31-4 in the ninth over.
Wanindu Hasaranga (4-40) then claimed three of his four wickets as Roston Chase, Romario Shepherd, Hayden Walsh and Alzarri Joseph were all dismissed in the space of 14 balls.
However, Sherfane Rutherford (80 off 82 balls) and Gudakesh Motie (50 not out) steadied the ship to take the Windies from 58-8 to 189.
Although Joseph claimed Avishka Fernando (9) in the fourth over, Nishan Madushka and Sadeera Samarawickrama both chipped in with contributions of 38 to get the hosts to 112-4.
Skipper Charith Asalanka (62 not out) led the charge thereon, while Kamindu Mendis (11) comfortably got them over the line with 34 balls remaining.
Data Debrief: Rutherford-Motie historic stand proves academic for tourists
West Indies were looking to level the series, but their hopes were not aided by Sri Lanka's impressive bowling.
Rutherford and Motie did their best. Their partnership brought 119 runs, which is their nation's highest ninth-wicket stand in ODI history, breaking the previous record of 85 between Yannic Cariah and Alzarri Joseph.
However, it ultimately proved in vain as the hosts secured the series with a game to spare.
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