IND vs ENG: England's wicket keeper-batter, Jonny Bairstow, is gearing up for the upcoming five-Test series against India with a keen eye on the potential playing conditions. During the previous tour of India, Bairstow had a tough going, encountering three ducks in four innings.

Reflecting on England's 2021 tour of India, where they succumbed to a 1-3 defeat in the Test series on spin-friendly tracks, Bairstow suggested that the nature of the pitches could play a crucial role in determining the outcome of the upcoming contest.

"India can produce different pitches: it doesn't have to turn. We've seen how potent their seam attack has been recently," Bairstow was quoted as saying on Sky Sports.

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"Look, I'm sure the pitches will turn: it's whether or not they'll turn from day one, which potentially negates a bit of their strength in their seam attack. We know how strong they are," he added.

Indian pace bowlers were on song during the South Africa tour, picking up 28 wickets out of 29 in the seam-friendly conditions. Bairstow emphasised the need for balance in approaching the challenges posed by the Indian conditions. He urged against overthinking the spin challenge, suggesting that England need to be adaptable to whatever conditions they encounter.

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"Obviously, the last time Axar and Ashwin played well. You forget that in that first Test match, the guys played really well, Rooty (Joe Root) got a double in the first Test match in Chennai and then the conditions changed quite drastically. We know that it's the quality spinners, especially in India, we know that they are going to come at us,” Bairstow said.

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“I think it will be the whole bowling attack's effort to go out there to take 20 wickets but it's not just the spinners. The seamers have got a big job to do, the batters in the field have massive jobs to do," he added.

The wicketkeeper-batter also finds himself in an intriguing position regarding the wicketkeeping duties. With Ben Foakes making a return to the England team for the series, the final decision on who will don the gloves remains uncertain.

With the five-Test series set to commence on January 25 in Hyderabad, Bairstow is aiming to position himself effectively, both physically and mentally to win the series in India after 13 long years.


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