Jonny Bairstow says request to keep wicket for Yorkshire is a 'non-story'

Jonny Bairstow says his request to keep wicket for Yorkshire on his return from injury is a "non-story".

The England batter, 33, has been out of action with a broken leg since September, but is now nearing fitness.

Harry Brook has been prolific for England in Bairstow's absence, so taking the gloves would offer an additional route back into the team.

Asked about keeping for Yorkshire, he said: "Why wouldn't I? Every time I've played for them, I've kept wicket."

Last month, Yorkshire director of cricket Darren Gough said Bairstow had indicated a desire to keep wicket when he makes his comeback.

Speaking to BBC Sport, Bairstow said: "It's a bit of a non-story, to be honest."

Bairstow has kept wicket for England in 49 of his 89 Tests, but in none of his past 11 dating back to 2021.

Prior to his injury, sustained when slipping on a golf course, Bairstow was in sensational form, having scored 1,061 Test runs in 2022, including six centuries.

During that time, Ben Foakes has been England's first-choice wicketkeeper, but unseating Foakes could be the Yorkshireman's best chance of returning to Ben Stokes' team.

Foakes has scored vital runs for England and been dependable with the gloves. He started the County Championship season by scoring 76 and 103 not out for Surrey against Lancashire, then missed the win against Hampshire with a stiff back.

Any suggestion of England re-jigging their batting order in order to accommodate both Bairstow and Foakes is thought to be unlikely, with Zak Crawley set to keep his place at the top of the order.

Bairstow is expected to play two Championship matches for Yorkshire in May as he bids to be fit for England's one-off Test against Ireland and the Ashes series against Australia.

"I will be available. Absolutely," said Bairstow, when asked about the four-day Test against the Irish at Lord's on 1 June.

"We're not far away and things are tracking in the right direction. We're nearing the end of the recovery process."

Bairstow has only played two first-class matches for Yorkshire since the summer of 2018. The last time he played a Championship match for the county without taking the gloves was in 2014.

On the subject of keeping for England, Bairstow said: "I've got no idea."

Bairstow was speaking as he collected the Wisden Trophy for the outstanding individual Test performance of the year - his twin hundreds in the record-breaking win over India at Edgbaston in July.

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