Jonny Bairstow not feeling pressure ahead of Yorkshire title defence
Saturday 9 April 2016 12:49, UK
Jonny Bairstow feels no added pressure to perform heading into Yorkshire's second consecutive County Championship title defence as England's first-choice Test wicket keeper-batsman.
Bairstow dethroned Jos Buttler as England's test wicket-keeper this winter following an array of impressive performances against Pakistan and South Africa.
With Buttler opting to focus on enhacing his white-ball skills at the Indian Premier League, Bairstow remains first choice for England's three-Test series against Sri Lanka, starting at Headingley next month.
But rather than worry about the pressure on his shoulders at the start of a new season, Bairstow is taking it all in his stride.
"It is just one of those things," the 26-year-old said.
"Every single season there is pressure on, playing at Yorkshire that is something you have grown up with.
"First and foremost, it is about getting back into the swing of things and then that will depend on selection for England. We will see.
"I don't set targets. It is a case of going out and doing as well as I can, for Yorkshire and for England, and see how far I can get."
Bairstow broke new ground in South Africa, hitting a maiden Test century, ending on a career-best unbeaten 150 in Cape Town.
"Naturally it gives you some confidence," Bairstow said. "It was disappointing not to have got it before then, but now I have got one it is the first of many.
"It happened at Yorkshire, it took a while to get one and then a few came along after all, so hopefully I can do exactly the same for England."
