MATCH STORIES
Follow UsPunjab Kings signed Jonny Bairstow in the 2022 mega-auction. Bought at a reasonable price of INR 6.75 crore, given the mega-auction dynamics, he was an excellent buy. Punjab had acquired Mayank Agarwal and Shikhar Dhawan, and Bairstow was supposed to add the overseas flavour to Punjab’s top-order firepower.
In the previous cycle, from 2019 to 2021, Bairstow scored 1038 runs for Sunrisers Hyderabad, averaging 41.5 at a strike rate of 142.2. In T20s in 2021, Bairstow averaged 38.7 at a strike rate of 148.4. You cannot blame Punjab for investing in the Yorkshireman. He was tailor-made for them.
However, the fortunes of Bairstow and Punjab have not panned out as expected. Compared to his stint with SRH, Bairstow has scored at a similar pace for Punjab, but his average has halved.
In 2022, Bairstow averaged only 23. In the ongoing edition in 2024, the number has dropped to 16 across six innings. He didn’t play in the 2023 season due to an injury.
In Match 27 against Rajasthan Royals, Bairstow had the added responsibility of covering for the absence of the regular skipper Shikhar Dhawan. He had his own bad form to counter, and Punjab, struggling for momentum in the season, were up against the table toppers RR. There was the threat of Trent Boult, who had the most powerplay wickets for an overseas bowler in IPL history (55).
Bairstow had a lot to counter, but you expect players of his stature to show up when the chips are down. This is why they are paid the big bucks.
However, Bairstow’s response was arguably one of his worst knocks in the Punjab colours. He scored 15 off 19 balls, which is his lowest strike rate for Punjab when he scored 10 runs or more. He was the third batter out, with PBKS 47/3 in eight overs at the point of his departure. The run rate was under six.
The 34-year-old looked befuddled with his approach, scoring just one boundary. 11 off 12 in the powerplay, he attacked only 50% of the deliveries. It felt like Bairstow was unsure what to do - whether to weather the storm and compensate later or attack the bowlers upfront.
You can sense it in his shot zone. Bairstow had four deliveries outside the off stump with enough room to free his arms. But he failed to time any of them properly, playing them to the fielders for four singles.
He was out in the same region right after the powerplay, although against a spinner, becoming Keshav Maharaj’s first IPL wicket. Going for a hard drive, he was beaten by both the lack of pace and turn on the ball, chipping a catch to Shimron Hetmyer that the Guyanese cricketer could have taken with one eye closed and one hand tucked behind his back.
Bairstow, with the added responsibility, did more harm than good.
He has surprisingly struggled against 140 kph+ deliveries. All his three wickets against pace this season have come against deliveries over 140 kph, with him averaging only six at a strike rate of 105.9. Against balls under 140 kph, he has scored 52 runs off 26 balls without getting out. It is unfathomable why Bairstow would struggle, having scored runs in every part of this globe.
But unfathomable is also the word to describe the Yorkshireman’s time in India this year. The right-hander spent most of his time in India January onwards, owing to the five-match Test series preceding the IPL. He got starts in nearly every innings, looking like a million dollars every time he took on a scoring opportunity. Yet, his highest score in the series was 39. Those starts would suffice in the IPL. However, Punjab’s premier batter is again holding the short end of the stick.
It has now come down to a point where the management will strongly ponder dropping Bairstow. Rilee Rossouw is waiting in the wings for his opportunity.
