Jonny Bairstow's 5 best knocks vs India 

Star England batter Jonny Bairstow is celebrating his 34th birthday on Tuesday, September 26. The senior player recently played in the ODIs against New Zealand and will be a key cog in England's campaign at the upcoming ODI World Cup 2023 next month.

A destructive player who has batted at every position from opening slot to No. 8, Bairstow is a pure match-winner in all three formats.

He is one of the few current individuals who has amassed over 10,000 international runs.

Across the 263 matches he has played for England, Bairstow has mustered a total of 10,696 runs at an average of 38.08, which includes 51 half-centuries and 23 hundreds as well.

His record against India is also commendable, having scored 1,824 runs at an average of 35.07 in 45 matches across the three formats.

On the occasion of his 34th birthday, let's take a look at Jonny Bairstow's five best batting performances against India in international cricket.

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#1. 106 off 140 in the rescheduled 5th Test (1st innings) in Edgbaston in 2022

Jonny Bairstow was in his best form in Tests in 2022 [Getty Images]

The arrival of Brendon McCullum and his 'Bazball' approach revitalised Bairstow's Test career as he took to the counter-attacking style like a duck to water.

Following his phenomenal Test series against New Zealand at home, Bairstow faced India in the rescheduled fifth Test at Edgbaston in Birmingham in July 2022.

Centuries from Rishabh Pant (146) and Ravindra Jadeja (104) propelled India to a formidable first-innings total of 416.

To make matters worse for England, they lost half of their team for only 83 runs in their first innings. Indian pacers Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, and Mohammed Siraj were on top of their game when Bairstow entered the crease at No. 5.

Bairstow negotiated the tough challenge posed by the Indians and weathered the storm in a cautious manner. While he was getting beaten on a few occasions, an instance involving him and Virat Kohli brought the best out of Bairstow.

An heated exchange fired up Bairstow as the wicketkeeper-batter went into beast mode and launched a blistering counter-attack on the Indian bowlers.

After scoring 17 runs off his first 66 balls, the Yorkshire lad blazed away to his half-century in a total of 81 balls before completing his fifth Test hundred of the year in 119 balls. Hammering 14 boundaries and a couple of sixes, Bairstow's knock of 106 completely changed the complexion of the game.

His improbable innings meant England scored 284 runs in their first innings. Bairstow went on to score another hundred in the second innings, which we will discuss in detail later.

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#2. 124 off 112 in the 2nd ODI in Pune in 2021

Jonny Bairstow raising his bat after a hundred vs India in Pune [Getty Images]

Jonny Bairstow proved to be the best batter of the series when India hosted England for a three-match ODI rubber in 2021. It was a highly entertaining affair as India won the series 2-1, with all three ODIs hosted in Pune.

After India won the first ODI, England showed great courage in the second ODI and won the game by six wickets. Their win was led by Bairstow's brilliant knock of 124 runs.

After being put to bat first, India lost both of their openers within 37 runs before Virat Kohli (66) and KL Rahul (108) joined forces.

The duo stitched a 121-run third-wicket partnership and laid a platform for the finishers to take the score past 300.

Rishabh Pant contributed a 40-ball 77, while Rahul went on to hit a wonderful hundred to ensure India reached 336.

Chasing 337, England got off to a magnificent start thanks to Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow's 116-run opening stand.

While Roy got out after making 55, Bairstow continued his onslaught and targeted the Indian spinners.

He cleared ropes at will, as the right-hander clobbered seven lusty maximums alongside his ten boundaries during his stay.

He brought up his 11th ODI ton by smashing Kuldeep Yadav for a six over deep mid-wicket in the 31st over.

Ben Stokes also played his part with a blazing 52-ball 99 before Bhuvneshwar Kumar denied him a well-deserved hundred.

However, courtesy of some immense hitting by the English batters, the visitors won the game with six wickets and 39 balls in hand.

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#3. 114* off 145 in the rescheduled 5th Test (2nd innings) in Edgbaston in 2022

England v India - Fifth LV= Insurance Test Match: Day Five

As mentioned earlier, Bairstow lit up the rescheduled fifth Test against India with a resounding century in the first innings. However, after India handed England a stiff target of 378 runs in the fourth innings, Bairstow once again proved to be an influential figure.

Chasing 378 runs, England had lost three wickets for 109 runs when Bairstow came out to bat. Joining forces with Joe Root, Bairstow surprised India with a counter-attacking batting.

The Indian bowlers looked clueless in the second innings and had no answers to the ultra-positive approach from the English batters.

The Indian bowling attack consisting of Bumrah, Shami, Siraj, Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur hardly posed a threat for Bairstow as he raced away to his second century of the game in 138 balls.

His unbeaten innings of 114* saw him clobber 15 boundaries and a six as well.

Meanwhile, Root looked adamant as well and played a solid innings of 142* off 173 balls as England recorded their highest fourth-innings chase ever in a Test.

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#4. 111 off 109 at the ODI World Cup 2019 in Edgbaston

Jonny Bairstow slammed 532 runs at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 [Getty Images]

Jonny Bairstow played a crucial role in England's 2019 ODI World Cup triumph as he slammed 532 runs at an average of 48.36 across 11 innings.

One of his best knocks in the tournament came against India. The match number 38, held at Edgbaston, saw England bat first.

Openers Bairstow and Roy tormented the Indian attack as they piled up 160 runs for the first wicket. While Roy was dismissed for 66, Bairstow continued to take the charge and cashed in on the great batting conditions in Birmingham.

Bairstow's eighth ODI century, which took 90 balls to complete, couldn't have come at a better time for his team, which suffered back-to-back defeats in their previous two games.

After weathering a new-ball attack from Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami, Bairstow settled into a rhythm against the spinners and hit a total of ten fours and six lusty maximums during his stay.

Stokes also came up with a 54-ball 79 as England piled up 337/7 in the first inning. Despite a wonderful ton by Rohit Sharma (102) and a fifty by Kohli (66), India lost the game by 31 runs. Fittingly, Bairstow was adjudged the Player of the Match for his heroics in the first inning.

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#5. 94 off 66 in the 1st ODI in Pune in 2021

Jonny Bairstow played some incredible shots vs India in that particular game [BCCI]

As mentioned above, Bairstow enjoyed a highly fruitful series against India in March 2021. He was on top of his game right from ball one of the series and ended the rubber as the highest run-getter with 219 runs at an average of 73.00.

In the first ODI, England were asked to chase down a competitive total of 318 runs. India’s first-innings total of 317/5 was built around an excellent all-round effort with the bat.

Shikhar Dhawan top-scored with 98, while Krunal Pandya registered the fastest fifty on his ODI debut (in 26 balls). Virat Kohli (56) and KL Rahul (62*) also chipped in with half-centuries.

England zoomed away in their chase of 318 as openers Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy (46) added 135 in 14.2 overs. Jonny Bairstow dominated the partnership, clearing the field with consummate ease.

Bairstow clobbered Prasidh Krishna for two sixes and as many fours in the sixth over, as 22 runs came off in those six balls. The destructive opener didn't look back after that, as he continued to smash monstrous hits.

At the other end, Bairstow seemed set for a blistering hundred. However, he perished for 94 off 66 while going for the glory shot over deep mid-wicket.

Bairstow's innings, laced with six boundaries and seven sixes, saw him strike out at a startling rate of 142.42. Unfortunately for the visitors, Bairstow's dismissal triggered a collapse as England lost their last eight wickets in only 82 more runs.

India eventually won the game by 66 runs.