Ahead of the 100th Test, Joe Root supports Jonny Bairstow, saying that he performs best when he has a point to make

Joe Root said that Jonny Bairstow, the wicketkeeper-batter, is at his best when he has a point to prove. Bairstow will play his 100th Test match on March 7 when England plays India in the fifth Test in Dharamshala.

Against India in the series finale, Bairstow will become the 17th men’s Test player from England to play 100 Test matches. Citing the example of how Bairstow turned fifty-five into hundreds under the guidance of Sir Geoffrey Boycott, Root remembered how it encouraged him to make a point—a quality that is now closely associated with the wicketkeeper-batter.

“I think what makes him who he is is that he likes to show off his emotions.” It enhances his finest qualities. On the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast, Root was cited as saying, “A good example of that was at the end of one of the seasons at Yorkshire when he had just broken into the first team.”

Gary Ballance and I were invited into a meeting with Sir Geoffrey Boycott, the president at the time when we were doing well in the second team. “You are playing very well in the second team; keep working hard, keep doing certain things right, and it won’t be long until you get in the first team,” he told Gary and me as soon as we sat down.

“After that, he remarked, ‘Jonny, you’ve had a great year on the second team and have made four or five outstanding fifties since joining the first team. However, I have 151 first-class hundreds, so you’re welcome to borrow one since you haven’t shown any signs of converting one of them!’

“I believe that Jonny scored a double hundred in one of his very next games. That is just one instance of his putting on a show for everyone, proving his worth when necessary, said Root.

With an average of 36.42 throughout the 99 Tests, Bairstow has scored 5974 runs with 12 centuries and 26 fifties. Root, who has known Bairstow since he was a young player in Yorkshire, believes there is no greater tale for the wicketkeeper-batter to get his 100th Test cap.

He is also among those really kind guys who will stop at nothing to help you. He has a genuinely wonderful heart and is someone who will always watch out for you, even if it may not always seem like that on television.

“You are aware of his significance to him as an England player, and this will be a very emotional week for him. You’ll be able to watch every emotion he experiences throughout our meeting and the presentation. Being present to tell him that would be good. For Jonny Bairstow, there couldn’t be a greater screenplay written, he said.

As he concluded, Root praised Bairstow for his ability to step into different positions throughout testing according to what the squad needed. Many of our coaches have expressed a desire to alter the setup and balance of the test team. Jonny may be used both as a batter and as a keeper-batter.

It might be hard at times to identify his strongest points since he is so versatile and capable of so much. Whether he was playing only as a hitter, keeping, or moving about the order, he has had to cope with a lot of change.

That is a standard aspect of playing cricket internationally. Playing 100 Test matches demonstrates his ability to blend in with the squad, something he has been able to accomplish for extended periods of time and has contributed much to English cricket.

It also demonstrates the player’s tenacity to return and practically reinvent oneself for the team—moving from a specialist hitter in the top six to a wicketkeeper-batter at No. 7—while still making such a significant impact. Even after suffering a serious leg break a few years ago, he has made some crucial innings. It’s incredible how far he’s come from that.