Jonny Bairstow has been in the purplest of patches over the past 12 months or so, having reinvented himself as an opener in England’s 50-over side.
According to ICC, the wicket-keeper batsman has smoked five centuries in the last 16 innings, which includes three consecutive tons in his last three one-day internationals. He is the only Englishman to achieve this feat.
“To score three on the bounce is really pleasing, considering 12 months ago people were questioning whether or not I should even be playing,” said Bairstow.
“So 12 months down the line, to score five hundreds in such a short space of time and three on the bounce, I’m pleased with where it’s gone.”
Bairstow, 28, was first given the chance to open the batting during the ICC Champions Trophy semi-final against Pakistan, which England lost by seven wickets. He scored a useful 43 and had another shot, walking out alongside Alex Hales during the five-match ODI series against Windies at home.
In the very first game, he smashed a 97-ball 100, guiding his side to a seven-wicket win and there has been no looking back since.
His latest was a whirlwind 59-ball 105 against Scotland, and although it came in a losing cause, Bairstow will be confident going into the first ODI against Australia at The Oval on Wednesday, 13 June.
“I’m happy with the way I’m playing up the order,” said Bairstow. “To be starting off up the top and creating those partnerships is pleasing and hopefully we can keep creating platforms for us to keep progressing as a team.”
England are currently perched atop the MRF Tyres ICC ODI Rankings for men. However, they were given a reality check on Sunday in Edinburgh where they went down to Scotland for the first time in an ODI, by six runs. Bairstow though wasn’t too fussed about the result.
“It’s part and parcel of the game,” he said. “You get to No.1 and people are going to want to beat you, but you want to be No.1 in the world.”
England had defeated Australia earlier this year in a five-match series after the Ashes Tests, which they won 4-1. The side they defeated then has since got a revamp with Steve Smith and David Warner serving bans, and the troika of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins out injured.
“It’s a completely different challenge and a completely different team that we will be playing,” Bairstow said. “It’s a team that has a lot of new guys in.
“So there are guys wanting to compete for places and we know just how dangerous that can be when people are pushing for a permanent place.”