Jonny Bairstow says England in good shape ahead of Champions Trophy and busy summer
Monday 20 March 2017 18:33, UK
Jonny Bairstow says England's performances in the West Indies showed their strength in depth heading into a busy summer of one-dayers.
England won 3-0 in the Caribbean without Bairstow, who was in the touring party but could not force his way into a winning line-up either as batsman or wicketkeeper.
The Test star was "naturally frustrated" at missing out despite scoring 86 as an opener in a warm-up game.
But with the ICC Champions Trophy the main prize on offer in the early part of the summer he was encouraged by his team-mates' dominance on the back of defeat in India.
"It's great to see us doing so well leading into the Champions Trophy and on from there," said Bairstow, who was speaking to Sky Sports News HQ from the London Stadium, where he was promoting the England and Wales Cricket Board's All Star initiative.
"Naturally it's frustrating," he said of his own lack of involvement. "All the time you want to be playing, and after doing well in a warm-up game it's unfortunate to miss out, but it's important to have strength in depth.
"Moving forward into the Champions Trophy we know how important the squad is going to be, so hopefully we do well in that competition and if the opportunity arises I'll try to take it.
"I'm not too sure you can say we'll start as favourites. It's the top eight in the world, so it'll be a tough competition."
Beyond the Champions Trophy lies a Test series against South Africa which will be Joe Root's first as captain.
Bairstow, Root's long-time team-mate for Yorkshire as well as England, said: "He'll adopt a new style of captaincy - it's only natural he'll do it his way.
"But with the people he's got around him, and the experience...still having Cooky [Alastair Cook] around he's able to bounce ideas off these guys that have played a heck of a lot of cricket."
Watch England's busy summer live on Sky Sports, starting with the first ODI against Ireland on May 5
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