5 best Jonny Bairstow moments in Tests

Among the most polarizing cricketers in the modern era, England wicketkeeper-batter Jonny Bairstow has fought valiantly through thick and thin to play a monumental 100 Tests.

Bairstow's Test career began in 2012 against the West Indies at Lord's. Despite the odd glimpses, the 34-year-old was inconsistent in the five-day format, and it took until 2016 for the Yorkshireman to score his first Test century.

Yet, the ability to produce match-winning knocks and turn Test matches on their heads meant Bairstow became a vital cog in the English red-ball setup. He became only the 17th England cricketer to reach the 100-Test landmark and is their 17th all-time leading run-scorer in Tests with 6,003 runs.

One of Bairstow's strengths has been his ability to bat at different positions and play as a wicketkeeper or a specialist batter. The dashing right-hander donned the gloves in 55 Tests, effecting 216 dismissals and averaging almost 38 in front of the wicket.

However, an overall average of 36.38 in Tests reveals his constant battle with consistency over the years.

That said, Bairstow has produced several memorable moments in his Test career and let us relive five of the best.

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#1 Unleashes 'Bazball' to the cricketing world

Bairstow was the pioneer of the popular Bazball batting style.

As Bazball gets lavished with praise for revitalizing Test cricket, Bairstow deserves the bulk of the credit for being among the first to achieve individual and team success while adopting the same.

England's first assignment under the Brendon McCullum-Ben Stokes combination was the home series against New Zealand in mid-2022. After low scores in the opening Test at Lord's, Bairstow produced some of the most breathtaking batting displays in Test history.

In the second Test, with England chasing a stiff 299 in the final innings, the swashbuckling batter bludgeoned 136 off 92 deliveries to lead the side to a five-wicket victory off just 50 overs.

His onslaught continued in the series finale with a brutal 157-ball 162 in England's first innings and a remarkable 71 off 44 in their successful run-chase of 296.

The Bairstow magic in the attacking Bazball style kickstarted a sparkling turnaround to England's Test fortunes as the side won eight consecutive red-ball games.

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#2 Tons in each innings vs India defines magical 2022 season

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

Team India felt the brunt of Jonny Bairstow's dominance in the one-off Test against England at Edgbaston in 2022. It was the postponed final game of a five-match series that India led 2-1 and played immediately after Bairstow's destruction of New Zealand.

With a rare overseas win in sight, Team India unraveled against the England keeper as he smashed scintillating centuries in both innings. The hosts struggled at 44/3 when Bairstow scored a 140-ball 106 to propel them to 284 in response to India's 416.

A fourth century in five innings arrived just in time to help England pull off a spectacular run chase of 378. Coming in at 109/3, Bairstow destroyed the helpless Indian attack to all corners of the ground to finish 114* off 145 deliveries to help the hosts win by seven wickets.

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#3 'Catch of the 2023 Ashes' to silence his critics

The 2023 Ashes was arguably Jonny Bairstow's most challenging moments in front of and behind the stumps. Apart from being woefully out of form, the 34-year-old was also involved in a controversial stumping that cost England the Lord's Test. His work behind the stumps was also widely criticized, as he missed several chances.

Yet, much like his entire career, Bairstow bounced back in style to pull off a magnificent diving catch to dismiss Mitchell Marsh in the penultimate Test in Manchester.

A wrong-footed Bairstow dove full length to his right after Marsh edged a Chris Woakes outswinger to complete a one-handed grab. The catch re-energized Bairstow as he regained his batting form with a brilliant 99* to silence his batting and wicket-keeping critics.

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#4 Maiden Test century and epic partnership for the ages with Ben Stokes

South Africa v England - Second Test: Day Two

After almost four years and six half-centuries, Jonny Bairstow finally scored his maiden Test century in the Cape Town Test against South Africa in 2016.

However, more than the ton, his epic partnership with all-rounder Ben Stokes made the cricketing world take notice. Starting Day 2 on 317/5, the duo tore apart the vaunted Proteas attack into pieces by adding a record sixth-wicket partnership of 399.

Joining hands at 223/5, Bairstow and Stokes took England's total to a resounding 622 before the latter was dismissed for 258. The hammering stunned the hosts and their fans as the packed Newlands crowd could only applaud the brilliant batsmanship on display. England finally declared on 629/6, with Bairstow finishing unbeaten on 150.

Despite the game ending in a draw, England won the four-match series by a 2-1 margin.

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#5 Restoring English pride in a wrecked 2021/22 Ashes series

It was a familiar tale for England in a tour down under after being soundly beaten in the opening three Tests of the 2021/22 Ashes.

However, with a series whitewash looming, Jonny Bairstow was back in the playing XI for the third Test in Melbourne after missing out on the opening two games due to poor batting form. Although he did not score much in England's innings defeat to surrender the Ashes, the Yorkshireman stamped his authority in the following encounter.

Playing in front of a packed crowd at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground, Bairstow scored England's only century in the series with a 158-ball 113 in the first innings. He followed that up with a crucial 41 in the final innings as the visitors escaped with a draw to avoid a potential series whitewash.

The first innings ton was also the start of a memorable 2022 season where Bairstow scored over 1,000 runs in 10 Tests at an average of 66.31 with an incredible six centuries.