Jonny Bairstow: Wicketkeeper says he would be 'stupid' to not think England recall is possible
Jonny Bairstow has not represented England since semi-final defeat at the T20 World Cup last summer; wicketkeeper-batter's central contract with England expires this year; Bairstow, 35, appointed Yorkshire's County Championship captain for 2025
Thursday 27 March 2025 16:41, UK
Jonny Bairstow says he would be "stupid" to not think an England recall is possible this year as he looks to put his name in contention with strong performances at Yorkshire.
With 100 Test caps and a World Cup winner's medal to call his own, Bairstow - who has been appointed Yorkshire's County Championship captain for 2025 - is one of his generation's most decorated players but finds himself on the outside looking in.
He lost his England shirt in all three formats last year and has not featured in a squad since the T20 World Cup last June but he still has six months left on his England central contract and has not given up on finding a way back.
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Asked if he was thinking of an international recall, he said: "I'm still contracted. I'd be stupid not to. But it's not my choice.
"That bit is completely out of my control. I can load the gun, but I won't be the one pulling the trigger. We'll wait and see on that. You can only score the runs and put yourself into the barrel.
"The whole purpose of everything is to try and play for England, and that will be the challenge. As an exile, like it was put, and someone who hasn't played for however long, it's something that you want to get back to.
"That comes by scoring runs. I'll be playing the County Championship at the start of the year, hopefully score a load of runs and let the rest take care of itself."
'My numbers against Australia and India are good'
A host of wicketkeeper-batters have been called up by England since Bairstow last featured, including his direct replacement Jamie Smith and the uncapped pair of Jordan Cox and Ollie Robinson.
But he has no qualms about his own CV, which boasts 23 international centuries including notable knocks against the very teams who await England in a make-or-break year of Test cricket.
"It was just mentioned around form, really," he said of the messaging around his dropping.
"That's obviously subjective, people's opinions or what have you, and that's fine. This is obviously a big summer with India, then Australia coming up.
"My numbers against those two teams, especially in England and on the last couple of tours of Australia, have been good.
"The last time India toured here, not too bad. So we'll wait and see what happens. First and foremost my job is to concentrate on Yorkshire, and make sure we get off to a good start to the year."
Bairstow on captaincy: Yorkshire embedded in my heart
On being appointed Yorkshire captain, following in the footsteps of father David who held the role between 1984 and 1987, Bairstow said: "The county is embedded in my heart.
"I take immense pride in representing the club on the field. To now be able to do that as captain - in what will be an exciting season - is a real honour.
"If they'd have asked me 10 years ago, I'd have done it. How can you not? It's one of the biggest clubs in the world and it's a very difficult thing to turn down."
"I've played with a huge array of different captains over a long period of time and you're able to pick up different things throughout the journey but I'll do it in my own individual way."
Former England batter Dawid Malan will be Yorkshire's Vitality Blast captain this year.
