Jonny Bairstow: England batter to make injury comeback for Yorkshire second XI next week
- Published
Jonny Bairstow was in fine form for England last summer before breaking his leg in a freak accident on the golf course
Jonny Bairstow will make his comeback from injury for Yorkshire second XI against Nottinghamshire next week and will keep wicket for part of the game.
The England batter, 33, has been out since September with a broken leg.
Harry Brook has been in fine form for England in his absence, so keeping wicket could be his best route back into the team.
"We'll go and have a look at him and see how he goes," said Yorkshire coach Ottis Gibson.
"He's had such a long lay-off, so it's a fitness assessment for him to see what his capacity is and what he can do on the field in terms running around in the outfield or standing behind the stumps.
"He will probably do both to see which one he's most comfortable with."
Last month, Yorkshire director of cricket Darren Gough said Bairstow had indicated a desire to keep wicket when he makes his comeback.
When asked by BBC Sport about his imminent return to action last week, Bairstow said that request to keep wicket was a "non-story".
Bairstow has kept wicket for England in 49 of his 89 Tests, but in none of his past 11 dating back to 2021.
He added that he would "absolutely" be fit for the England's one-off Test against Ireland in .June, with the Ashes series against Australia beginning later that month.
Bairstow was in fine form before his injury, sustained when slipping on a golf course, having scored 1,061 Test runs in 2022, including six centuries.
Yorkshire team-mate Brook has subsequently secured his place in the side with some fine innings of his own, meaning deposing current first-choice wicketkeeper Ben Foakes may be Bairstow's best chance of returning to the side.