Daily Times

Dharamsala: Struggling England batsman Jonny Bairstow looks to be fighting to save his Test career when the fifth and final match against India begins in Dharamsala on Thursday. Bairstow will win his 100th cap as England, who have already lost the series 3-1, try to salvage some pride in the high-altitude and chilly Himalayan hill town.

India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is also in line to play his 100th Test, having already passed the milestone of 500 Test wickets during the series. Former wicketkeeper Bairstow is in the side as a specialist batsman after Ben Foakes took over behind the stumps, but he has scored just 170 runs at an average of 21.25 during the series. The 34-year-old has struggled since returning to the side last year after breaking his leg in a freak golfing accident.

He has played 10 Tests since recovering, but has not scored a century and has a highest of only 38 in eight innings in India. “It’s a great triumph of resilience and even in terms of sentiment I believe that if you get to 99 caps you deserve the moment of your 100th,” former England captain Michael Vaughan wrote in his column for the UK’s Telegraph newspaper. “However, you can’t escape that he could miss out on his 101st.

“He hasn’t played well enough across the 10 Tests he’s been back in the side, especially in India.” Bairstow is renowned as an attacking batsman and at number five in the order is crucial to England’s aggressive “Bazball” style of cricket.