Former Test gun Jonny Bairstow has launched a fresh attack on the England cricket top brass, urging them to bring “care back in the game”.
In an interview with the BBC, Bairstow spoke out against the current selection policy and a perceived “disconnection” between the Test side and county form.
Bairstow’s comments came one day after the ECB released findings of an internal investigation into the side’s Ashes failure, in which it found serious failings but refused to sack anyone responsible.
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ECB cricket director Rob Key, coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes all kept their jobs.
Having played a key role in the early success of Bazball, Bairstow was dropped in March 2024 after playing his 100th Test and has barely been in the conversation since.
Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes during the 2023 Ashes series. Getty
“You need the care back in the game,” Bairstow said on Monday.
“It is OK saying people care about things – no they don’t.
“If you are in the system, you are in the system. As soon as you are out of the system, you are out of the system.”
Speaking after the report was released, Key admitted selectors “overvalued loyalty” through the Ashes. Despite repeated failings, selectors continued to pick underperforming batters including Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope.
Bairstow said doing so doesn’t only hurt those waiting in the wings, but also the out-of-form players who stay in the side.
“As soon as you don’t have people chasing you up your backside you become comfortable,” he said.
Bairstow, McCullum and Stokes during a net session in India in 2024. Getty
“When you become comfortable you become complacent, and when someone questions you directly you are not used to it because you are in an environment that is potentially not questioning you in a different way.”
He was also critical of their selection of Mark Wood, who came to Australia with barely any cricket under his belt, played one Test and broke down.
“If people get a finger injury, fine, but you have got to be on the park,” Bairstow said.
“It is OK playing four or five games a summer and missing the rest, but you are not backing things up and that is why you get injured.
“I feel for people like Woody. I feel massively for him. He bowls at 95mph and is expected to just come in having not come off the back of any overs.
“There is no wonder he has got injured. He has not been done right in my opinion.”
Opener Ben Duckett was another player to underperform in the Ashes. He announced on Wednesday morning (AEDT) he had pulled out of the IPL to focus on red ball cricket and keep his place in the England team.
Duckett was set to make his debut for the Delhi Capitals, having been bought for about $360,000 in December’s auction. His withdrawal was announced by his county side Nottinghamshire.
His withdrawal has raised eyebrows given Duckett was in the side to play an aggressive David Warner-esque role at the top of the order.
Duckett said it was “not an easy choice”, but one he hoped would help him find “the form I had last summer”.
One of the recommendations from the Ashes review that has been accepted and actions is the implementation of a “county insight group” in an attempt to repair damaged relationships between the Test selection committee and county directors.
Bairstow applauded the decision.
“The question you would ask is why have they disconnected in the first place?” Bairstow said.
“If you are trying to rebuild something, you are admitting you have done something wrong previously.
“It is good to know people are watching and nice to see there is some enthusiasm into the County Championship.
“We will see if the proof is in the pudding.”
Now 36, Bairstow conceded his own return to the Test scene is unlikely, but it isn’t a dream he had given up on entirely.
“Judging by the last few years, I am not sure it is on their agenda,” he said.
“It will be an interesting question for you to pose to them if I do go out and score a couple of hundreds early season.”
England’s home summer will include two three-Test series against New Zealand and Pakistan.