With the Ashes series coming to Australia, England have plenty of work to do if they’re going to come out on top against the mighty Australians. Their batting lineup has been struggling lately, but they have just the man to turn it around: Jonny Bairstow. In this article, we’ll look at how Bairstow focuses himself before stepping up to the plate and his first class average of 46 as evidence that he knows how to find peace at the plate when he needs it most.
Jonny Bairstow playing cricket at his best
Bairstow is best in playing all kinds of cricking shorts. The opening batsman for England in both Test matches, One Day Internationals, and T20 Internationals, Bairstow has made several solid scores that highlight his high-quality technique. Batting against pace has always been my biggest strength, he says. His Australian counterpart, David Warner also agrees, saying He is one of those players who looks very good off a lot of deliveries.
Jonny Bairstow’s technique is so admired because he excels not only against fast bowling but also spinners; often found punishing them for long periods to build long innings for his team to bat around.
Believe you can make your shot
Jonny Bairstow is one of England’s best-known cricketers. The 27-year-old wicketkeeper batsman often starts an innings for his country, before giving way to openers in partnership with fellow Yorkshireman Joe Root. His time as a batsman began against Sri Lanka in 2012, when he impressed with solid performances.
Bairstow considers himself to be a natural, confident player. I just feel I’ve got all my shots in my locker, he told England’s official cricket website. I believe I can play any shot on demand with a nice, easy swagger that comes naturally. He also told ESPNcricinfo that batting was a way for him to calm down and find peace away from his chaotic day-to-day life. Batting always brings me to Zen, he said.
Release all tension while Playing Cricket
Jonny Bairstow is a cricket player for England and knows how to take that pressure off himself. When he bats, he first takes in his environment: what’s happening on the field, who’s on base. Then he takes deep breaths. His zen-bats by counting out each breath to find peace. And by removing tension, he’s able to swing better, play better, and win more games for his team.
Because cricket is such a fast-paced game, it’s easy to get tense. When you take your eye off the ball for even a second, you could miss out on that important run. When your tension increases, so does your anxiety, which makes it even harder to focus. When you feel overwhelmed like that on the field, pause to breathe deeply and count down from 10 just like Jonny Bairstow does to calm yourself.
Jonny Bairstow practice every day
I never worry about what I’m doing, he said. It’s only a game. Why should you? It’s just cricket. That’s all it is. That’s why they call it a ‘game’. You have to love this game and that means not getting too caught up in yourself or being too precious with what you do on the field. The more time you spend trying to perfect something in your mind before actually going out there to do it, the less time you have for playing cricket – which is why he also practices every day. You can practise every day, he said with a grin, and still be rubbish.
Jonny Bairstow the best wicket keeper of England
English cricket player, Jonny Bairstow has made a name for himself as one of England’s most consistent batsmen. He opens for England with Alastair Cook, opening for Yorkshire domestically with Adam Lyth. This summer, he became the first English cricketer to score a century in his very first innings on home soil since Alastair Cook did so back in 2011. With these impressive feats in mind, it’s no wonder that people think so highly of him, some going as far as calling him a batting genius. So what is it about Bairstow that sets him apart from others? The thing that separates this young man from other successful athletes is how he handles pressure situations and bad games – an area where many players find difficulty and insecurity.
Don’t try too hard
Jonny Bairstow is a masterful opener. Since his promotion to England’s Test team, he has attained five consecutive Test innings where he’s remained not out in each match; only achieved by Viv Richards in history. He does this through his zen-like mindset when batting, for which he credits Australian coach Justin Langer for teaching him. When asked about what zen-like means to him, he replied I think it’s making the ball an extension of myself and then trying to express as best as I can with it.