Jonny Bairstow Replies to Virat Kohli Sledging With Scintillating Century

Jonny Bairstow Replies to Virat Kohli Sledging With Scintillating Century

Jonny Bairstow Virat Kohli: England star Jonny Bairstow had a slow start on the second day of the rescheduled 5th Test against India as the hosts went to stumps on 84/5.

On the third day as well, he started cautiously as Mohammed Shami swung the ball around.

This prompted Virat Kohli to go at them, the two were seen engaging in a spirited exchange.

But Kohli’s sledging inspired Bairstow more, as he switched gears and attacked the Indian bowlers and scored his third Test century in as many matches.

Bairstow carried on from the series against New Zealand when he scored a century in the last two Tests, with Bairstow scoring his century in just 119 balls.

The flamboyant wicketkeeper-batsman hit 14 fours and two sixes as he helped England to a score of 284 while India took a 132-run lead in the first innings.

He was eventually dismissed by Shami, who troubled him in the morning session, and poetically, it was Kohli who took the catch at first slip.

Had it not been for his belligerent innings, England would have found themselves even further behind the visitors after scoring 416 runs to bat at Edgbaston.

It was Bairstow’s 11th Test century as he continued his stellar form, resurgent under new captain Ben Stokes and new head coach Brendon McCullum.

After scoring two centuries against New Zealand at a strike rate of over 100, Bairstow’s latest ton means he remains the poster-boy for ‘Bazzball‘ – England’s new offensive approach in the longest format under McCullum A widely used term.

Of course, the word derives from McCullum’s nickname ‘Baz’.