Former England captain Naseer Hussain believes the selectors have made a mistake by deciding to rest Jonny Bairstow for the first two Tests of the four-match series against India, starting February 5 in Chennai.
Hussain has called on the England selectors to “rethink” their decision. Bairstow scored 47 and 35 not out in England’s win over Sri Lanka in the first Test in Galle last week and looked in good touch again in the first innings of the second Test before getting dismissed for a patient 28.
The decision to rest Bairstow is part of England and Wales Cricket Board’s player management policy, which stresses on giving adequate rest to every English cricketer in a packed calendar year, which includes 17 Tests and the ICC T20 World Cup.
“I would say it’s a concern that one of England’s best three players of spin — I would say Bairstow is alongside Joe Root and Ben Stokes in that — has been given a boarding pass home and the others are going to Chennai,”