ENG vs IND | Is a Jonny Bairstow carnage loading, or can India put an end to the resistance

The postponed Test of the India-England 2021 series is at an exciting juncture. At the end of the second day, India is sitting comfortably in the driver's seat with 416 runs in the first innings while getting the hosts down to 84/5. 

While the scorecard might suggest that India is well on the verge of a dominating performance, they will have to deal with the last obstacle in Jonny Bairstow.

Match Situation

England won the toss and opted to field first. The English bowlers had the Indian batting line-up reeling under pressure. However, two brilliant knocks courtesy of Rishabh Pant (146) and Ravindra Jadeja (104) saw India stage a dramatic turnaround. 

The duo's foundation was further strengthened by the acting captain Jasprit Bumrah who played an essential cameo of 31 runs from 16.

India finished their innings at 416 runs which is a respectable total after being down at 98 for the loss of five wickets.

After putting up a formidable total on the board, the Indian bowlers backed up the team with a brilliant show. 

They have reduced the opponents to 84 for 5 at stumps on day two, with the much-needed wicket of Joe Root.

However, England is not yet entirely out of the competition with Bairstow and the skipper Ben Stokes still out in the middle. 

The biggest headache for India at this stage would be Bairstow, and they would like to see his back early in the third day.

Why is Bairstow so important?

Bairstow has been in a sublime form recently in the longest format of the game. In the recently concluded series against New Zealand, he scored 394 runs at a strike rate of 120.12 with a couple of impactful centuries to his name. 

India's biggest threat is the counter-attacking cricket brand that the batter plays. Whatever the match's condition, Bairstow is not afraid of taking risks and putting the opposition on the backfoot. 

His style of batting can change the complexion of the match very quickly. Bumrah and company will be looking to get rid of Jonny pretty soon in the day.

Game Plan against Bairstow

What not to do?

Overuse of Spin: Quite contrary to many English batters, Johnny Bairstow is a decent player of spin. He plays the deliveries pretty late, which is a great advantage for him against spin. So, India must be aware of not using too much spin against him.

Giving him room: Having grown up playing in English conditions, Bairstow is an excellent player square of the wicket. However, balls on the short-length region giving him space can backfire for India. So, the Indian bowling line-up will have to watch out for not erring in line while trying to bowl short of a length.

What to do?

Bowling Straight: The slightly open stance of Bairstow makes him susceptible to balls that are straight. This has often seen him being dismissed, trapped in front of the wicket, and caught at the mid-wicket region. So, bowling on the wickets should be the go-to plan against Bairstow.

Well Directed Short bowling: It has appeared that Bairstow has a bit of difficulty playing short-pitched bowling directed at his body. 

Even during his recent sensational knock against the Kiwis, he looked uncomfortable against short balls that did not provide him with enough room. As a result, he ended up top-edging a few deliveries and playing some shots that he did not have complete control over. 

Plan: The most potent option against Bairstow in the Indian bowling set-up is Jasprit Bumrah. The Indian skipper must use himself cleverly while trying to rotate the others around him. 

So, the order of the day for India is to bowl straight and not provide room to the batter and try and tie him down early so that he does not run away with the match.