Ind vs Eng: ‘Take Jonny Bairstow out of firing line’ – Cook suggests England to drop batter for Ranchi Test

England lost the third Test to India by 434 runs in Rajkot. With that, they have conceded a 2-1 lead to the Rohit Sharma-led home team in the ongoing five-match series.

Ahead of the fourth and penultimate Test, in Ranchi, former England skipper Alastair Cook has suggested Ben Stokes & Co. to drop under-fire Jonny Bairstow in order to ‘protect’ him.

Bairstow has had a torrid run in the Test series versus India, managing just 102 runs from six innings at an average of 26. In Rajkot, he returned with scores of 0 for 4, with many questioning his spot. Thus, Cook said while talking to TNT Sports, “He’s had a tough tour so far. And India is a very hard place to continue going on that on the treadmill. I’m taking Jonny out of the firing line, to protect the player. He suggested the thinktank to add “someone who is fresh and clear of all the debris so far in this series.”

With many calling for Bairstow’s exit, England Test coach Brendon McCullum has made it clear that they will continue to back the middle-order batter. Ahead of the Ranchi Test match, McCullum said, “I haven’t even seen the wicket. But I’d anticipate Jonny would be playing, yes.”

McCullum was quick to point out that while Bairstow has been struggling, they would continue to give him the confidence in a bid to help him block out the external noise and remain focused.