Jonny Bairstow to make Yorkshire return in County Championship: Details
What's the story
Jonny Bairstow is set to make his season debut for Yorkshire in the upcoming County Championship match against Sussex.
This will be his first appearance for the team after a six-week hiatus.
Bairstow's participation has been limited due to his commitments with the England team and the Indian Premier League (IPL).
He has only played two First-Class games for Yorkshire since 2020, and has not yet featured in any format this season.
Promotion push
Bairstow's return to boost Yorkshire's promotion chances
Bairstow's return comes at a crucial time for Yorkshire, who are currently just outside the two promotion spots in Division Two.
They trail second-placed Middlesex by four points with five games remaining this season.
A win against Sussex could significantly close the 27-point gap between them and the leaders.
This makes Bairstow's comeback particularly significant as his experience and skill could provide a much-needed boost to Yorkshire's promotion aspirations.
Career goals
Bairstow's England ambitions and Yorkshire's support
Despite losing his place in England's Test team after underperforming on their tour to India, Bairstow has expressed his desire to represent England again.
His performance for Welsh Fire in the Hundred was modest, scoring 123 runs with one half-century across seven innings.
Yorkshire's head coach Ottis Gibson stated last week that "Jonny still has ambitions of getting back into the England team."
Coach's confidence
Gibson's faith in Bairstow's potential
Gibson expressed confidence in Bairstow's potential, stating that "Jonny is a serious cricketer anyway, but when he has a point to prove, he's even more dangerous."
He also assured that the club would support him in his ambitions.
Yorkshire confirmed on Monday that Bairstow is fit to play at Scarborough after recovering from a shoulder issue.
However, his availability for the final four games of the season remains uncertain.
Leadership transition
Yorkshire's leadership changes and potential replacements
In other news, Yorkshire will be without their captain Shan Masood this week, as he joins Pakistan's Test squad for their series against Bangladesh.
The club also announced that Gibson will step down as head coach at the end of this season. They are currently seeking a new director of cricket.
Chris Silverwood, former Sri Lanka coach, has expressed interest in the head coach position at Yorkshire.