Can Bairstow be the Sehwag of 2020s?

[zen]

Bairstow in 2022 so far:

 

• 113 @ a SR 0f 72 v Aus at Sydney 
• 140 @ a SR of 54 v WI, North Sound
• 136 @ a SR of 148 v NZ, Nottingham 
• 162 @ a SR of 103 v NZ, Leeds 
• 71* @ a SR of 161 v NZ, Leeds 
• 106 @ a SR of 78 v Ind, Birmingham 
• 114* @ a SR of 79 v Ind, Birmingham 

 

4s 100s + 1 50 in the last 5 innings with that SR!  ... While Sehwag used to make big big 100s and also have some low scores (playing the new ball) in b/w, Bairstow has not had massive 100s but been relatively more consistent with his 100s (Maybe Sehwag could have been more destructive in the middle order (#4-7) in SENA)  ... Hope that his good form continues. In the first half of 2022:

 

Career averages

	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	0	4s	6s
unfiltered	87	156	11	5415	167*	37.34	9428	57.43	12	23	15	639	46
filtered	8	16	3	994	162	76.46	1304	76.22	6	1	1	119	18

 

 

Bairstow played 79 tests before this impressive run -> A purple patch or a legend in the making? 

Edited July 6, 2022 by zen

[The Realist]

Legend in the making?!

 

Bairstow is 33 in Sep. He's been average most of his career and was downright crap until recently, he's been dropped often as well.

 

He was ridiculed on England's tour of India last year for scoring three ducks. Let him perform home and way for a couple of years and then we can assess whether he is better than Pujara.

[zen]

57 minutes ago, The Realist said:

Legend in the making?!

 

Bairstow is 33 in Sep. He's been average most of his career and was downright crap until recently, he's been dropped often as well.

 

He was ridiculed on England's tour of India last year for scoring three ducks. Let him perform home and way for a couple of years and then we can assess whether he is better than Pujara.

This is not about the past (already mentioned in the OP that he played 79 tests before this impressive run) … Eng play a lot of tests a year (and has invested in guys like Bairstow who are quite fit) so if he puts up a good show, he can be a legend too (Guys like Gooch have peaked late) … On the other hand, it could be a purple patch
 

You are free to comeback in 2 or 5 years once things are sorted out for you … The thread is for opinions today to see what folks think where his career could go!

Edited July 7, 2022 by zen

[Vickydev]

Yeah he is doing well, but he is too old. The dip comes fast and sudden at that age and seeing how English cricket works especially with Mccullum around, can't see him lasting more than a year or two. 

[Adamant]

He is better than Sehwag in lois. 

In tests he will never come anywhere near Sehwag. This is just a purple patch. 

[Majestic]

I think he is more like his coach, McCullum. Had a pretty good peak during the second half when he played some impact knocks as a specialist batsman. While McCullum didn't had a purple patch like Bairstow but he had a pretty fine peak where he played some impact knocks but Bairstow is also making same impact.

 

In ODIs, he is more consistent than McCullum though. In T20s, I think McCullum was better. BMac was always an impact T20 player. Feel Bairstow is a bit of flat track bully in that.

 

Conclusion - Bairstow is very good in all formats but I won't label him as a LOI great like say, Buttler or a test great like Sehwag, Gilchrist.

Edited July 7, 2022 by Majestic

[Vijy]

Bairstow's real test will come in SC, especially against Bangla bois' arsenal of SLAs.