IND vs ENG: David Lloyd applauds Jonny Bairstow ahead of 100th Test; compares with MS Dhoni

Famous cricketer turned commentator David Lloyd has applauded the out-of-form Jonny Bairstow as the ideal Test wicketkeeper with comparisons to others, including India’s MS Dhoni, who is considered one of the best in world cricket.

The veteran is all set to play in his 100th Test in the series finale against India in Dharamsala despite questions over his place in the English team. Bairstow has faced a dismal series so far, scoring only 170 runs in the first four Tests at an average of just over 21 as well. In his column for The Daily Mail, Lloyd backed Bairstow amid the criticism of his glovework as well.

“He is someone who influences outcomes” – David Lloyd on Jonny Bairstow

“With an average of 36 and a strike rate of 59, he is someone who influences outcomes. Those numbers are close to ideal for a wicketkeeper. To critics of his glovework, I ask you: was Adam Gilchrist the best wicketkeeper in Australia when he played Test cricket? Was Mahendra Singh Dhoni the best in India? Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara? Our own Matt Prior? Brendon McCullum of New Zealand?” wrote Lloyd.

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“No, and in each case their worth to the team in front of the stumps outweighed whatever they did behind them. Ditto Bairstow’s worth to England, and he really comes into his own joining an existing batter in the middle or being left with the tail,” he further added.

However, Jonny Bairstow has played more than half of his 99 Tests as a keeper (55) and averages over 37 with five centuries as well. Meanwhile, former South African keeper Mark Boucer has the most dismissals in Tests (555), followed by Australian great Adam Gilchrist (416) While MS Dhoni is fifth with 294, Bairstow is 14th on the list with 223 dismissals as well.

“It is so important in Tests to put pressure back on the opposition” – David Lloyd

However, David Lloyd further lauded Jonny Bairstow as an unselfish player with the rare ability to change the course of a game in the longer format. He has scored almost 6,000 in his Test career at an average of over 36 with 12 tons as well. Notably, Bairstow will become only the second England cricketer to play 100 Tests and the fourth in the present side after James Anderson, Joe Root, and Ben Stokes as well.

“Never doubted he was a player who was going to make it. Why? Because of his style: totally unselfish, with an ability to change the game. It is so important in Tests to put pressure back on the opposition. Having been an international coach, I can tell you that his name will feature on the whiteboard in the opposition dressing room, because he can really hurt you with the speed of his scoring,” David Lloyd concluded.