Don't mess with Jonny

Opinion Sunday 03/July/2022 22:12 PM
By: Anis Sajan, Vice Chairman, Danube group
Don't mess with Jonny

India was all over England yesterday and the trend continued today too when Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami were operating in the first hour and both Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes found the runs difficult to come.

Then Mayhem struck. Virat Kohli needled Jonny Bairstow on the wrong side. Bairstow who was struggling at 13 of 60 balls, I repeat 13 runs of 60 balls went berserk after that animated chat with Virat Kohli. He suddenly found his timing and started hitting the Indian bowlers as if they were club bowlers.

Whether it was Mohammed Shami, Siraj or Shardul Thakur, he just was toying with them and hitting them over the top and pulling them at will hitting boundaries and sixes at will. Every over was going for almost ten runs and from 97/5 England who were going at 3.12/over in 32 overs to reach 200/6 in 45 overs at 4.39 hitting 103 in the next 12 overs.

Thankfully for India the rain came down for India's rescue for India and an early lunch was taken. It might help India to regroup again and see how they can stop this Bairstow juggernaut who has been going hell for leather. Mind you coming in to this test he has already hit two hurricane centuries against England and is in the form of his life and Indian bowlers will have to bowl smart to stop Jonny Bairstow taking the game away which is still in India's grasp.

Thankfully for India the rain came down for India's rescue for India and an early lunch was taken. It might help India to regroup again and see how they can stop this Bairstow juggernaut who has been going hell for leather. Mind you coming in to this test he has already hit two hurricane centuries against England and is in the form of his life and Indian bowlers will have to bowl smart to stop Jonny Bairstow taking the game away which is still in India's grasp.