Middle-order batter Jonny Bairstow on Sunday overtook former skipper Andrew Strauss to become the eighth-highest run-getter for England in international cricket.
Bairstow accomplished this upward movement in charts during the fourth Test against India at Ranchi. Bairstow, who has had a very quiet series so far, scored 38 and 30 across his two innings in the match. In four matches and eight innings so far during this series, he has managed just 170 runs at an average of 21.25 with the best score of 38. In 276 international appearances for England, Bairstow has scored 11,354 runs at an average of 37.22 across all formats. He has 23 centuries and 53 fifties in 338 innings, with the best score of 167*. On the other hand, Strauss in his 231 appearances for England, managed 11,315 runs at an average of 38.48, with 27 centuries and 54 fifties. His best score was 177. In 99 Tests, Bairstow has scored 5,974 runs at an average of 36.42, with 12 centuries and 26 fifties. His best score is 167*. ODIs are Bairstow's preferred and most productive format. In 107 matches and 98 innings, he has scored 3,868 runs at an average of 42.97 at a strike rate of over 102, with 11 centuries and 17 fifties in 98 innings. His best score is 141*. In 70 T20Is, Bairstow has scored 1,512 runs at an average of 29.64 with a strike rate of over 137. He has scored 10 half-centuries, with the best score of 90. India has been set a target of 192 runs to win. The hosts ended their day at 40/0, with skipper Rohit Sharma (24*) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (16*) unbeaten. In their second innings, England was bundled out for just 145 runs, with Zak Crawley (60 in 91 balls, with seven fours) and Jonny Bairstow (30 in 42 balls, with three fours) offering some fight. Spinners took all the 10 wickets for India, with Ravichandran Ashwin (5/51) and Kuldeep Yadav (4/22) leading the bowlers. England led by 191 runs and set India a target of 192 runs to take the series win by 3-1. Earlier, India was bundled out for 307 in their first innings in reply to England's first innings total of 353. Despite Yashasvi Jaiswal (73 in 117 balls, with eight fours and a six) firing once again, India was left struggling at 219/7. It was wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel (90 in 149 balls, with six fours and four sixes) who joined forces with Kuldeep (28 in 131 balls) to stitch a 76-run stand for the eighth wicket and India managed to score above 300 runs. Spinner Shoaib Bashir troubled Indian batters and took a five-wicket haul (5/119). Tom Hartley (3/68) and James Anderson (2/48) were also great with the ball. England chose to bat first and put up 353 runs in their first innings, driven by a comeback century by their premier batter Joe Root (122* in 274 balls, 10 fours), a half-century from Ollie Robinson (58 in 96 balls, with nine fours and a six) and Ben Foakes (47 in 126 balls, with four boundaries and a six). Ravindra Jadeja (4/67) and Akash Deep (3/83) were the top bowlers for India. (ANI)
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