England Drop Their Wicketkeeper From Contract List In Surprise Move

England's Central Contract list has been revealed by the cricket board. There were several notable names who have finally made it to the list. But there were a few names too, which have missed out on the same, including a veteran wicket-keeper.

The England Cricket Board has announced its Central Contract list. There have been several players who were able to make it to the two year Central Contract, while the others remained in the one year Central Contract too. But there was one player, who has been a crucial part of the English team and still from the same.

And it is none other than the English wicket-keeper, Jonny Bairstow. It was a surprise move by the ECB, excluding him from the central contract. With his last international appearance coming back in 2024, fans wonder if he will be able to make a comeback or is it the end of his international career.

1. Bairstow’s Last International Game

Jonny Bairstow had made his last international appearance for the English team in the T20 World Cup 2024. He was a part of the team which reached the semi-finals of the tournament but ended up losing the same against India. Ever since that match, Jonny Bairstow has not been a part of England across any format of the game.

In the semi-final match, India was batting first and the team scored 171 runs with the loss of 7 wickets. England started to lose wickets early, as Jonny Bairstow came in at number three. While fans hoped he would be playing big in the vital match, he was dismissed for a duck by Axar Patel. It was disappointing for Bairstow, but since this game, he has not been a part of the English team.

Playing his last ICC tournament for the team, Bairstow was not able to give his best. He scored 110 runs in 6 innings at an average of 27.50, with a high score of 48 not out. Moreover, it should be noted that Jos Buttler was the primary wicket-keeper for England in the tournament in place of Jonny Bairstow.

2. 2019 ODI World Cup

England was hosting the 2019 ODI World Cup and Jonny Bairstow played a vital role for the team in winning the same. He was able to bring up some big scores for the team in that edition, helping them to reach the playoffs. The English fans will never forget the tons Bairstow had scored for the team in the group stages.

His first World Cup hundred came against India. Both teams faced each other as England was batting first. Bairstow smashed 111 runs off 109 balls, as England set a massive total of 337 runs for India to chase. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli tried their best but the team fell short by 31 runs to win the game. Jonny Bairstow even received a POTM award for his century.

Later in the final league stage match against New Zealand, Bairstow again played an important role for the team. With England batting first, Jonny Bairstow was able to score 106 runs off 99 balls, helping the team to reach a big total. The bowlers were able to finish the job quickly, as England won the game by 119 runs and Bairstow received the POTM award.

In the semi-final and finals also, he was able to play well for the team and help them to win the World Cup at home. He was the second highest run scorer for the team, with 532 runs in 11 matches at an average of 48.66, with two centuries and two half-centuries.

3. 2022 Test Peak

Jonny Bairstow had given his best to the England's Test side in 2022. He went on to break multiple records for the team in that year, and especially in the Test format. In 2022 alone, he brought up 1061 runs in 10 Test matches with 6 centuries and one half-century. Whether he played in England or India or any other country, his intention was to score lots of runs.

Jonny Bairstow in Tests in 2022:

• Innings: 19
• Not Out: 3
• Runs: 1061
• Average: 66.31
• Strike Rate: 76.00
• 100s: 6
• 50s: 1

At this time, fans knew that Jonny Bairstow would be able to play for more and more years for the team. But his form eventually dropped from 2023, due to which he was last picked in the Test team in 2024.