‘We trust each other's games’: Jonny Bairstow on partnership with Ben Stokes

Ahead of the fifth and final Test against India, Jonny Bairstow has remarked on his on-field relationship with the newly appointed red-ball captain Ben Stokes. 

The duo were flawless with their batting approach in the recently concluded series against New Zealand. In the second red-ball fixture, they helped the team chase down the target of 299 in 50 overs, which is unheard of in the longest format. Bairstow hit 136 off 92, and Stokes remained unbeaten on 75 off 70.

In an interview with Naseer Hussain, Bairstow has revealed that both players have a telepathic understanding on the crease. 

"We've done it for quite a few years, haven't we? There actually wasn't that much said between us in the middle. We trust each other's games now to just go and play, which is a really good thing to have. You don't need to be saying things all the time."

In 2016, Bairstow and Stokes stitched a mammoth 399-run stand against South Africa. In this pursuit, Stokes hit the quickest double century by an Englishman, while Bairstow scored 150. 

The 32-year-old stated that Stokes has communicated clearly with the rest of the players off the field and has done well to execute the planned strategies on the field. He thinks the all-rounder's experience has helped him start his captaincy on a high. 

"He's been really good. Tactically very good on the field, and off it he's been clear what he wants from the guys. He hadn't done an awful lot of captaincy before taking over but he's had a lot of experiences, both on and off the field, that he's been able to bring together in order to lead this side," added Bairstow. 

It will be interesting to witness the performances of the two players against India in the one-off red-ball fixture, which will get underway from July 1 at Edgbaston.