Jonny Bairstow was sent off in the first Test by Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj.© AFP
One of the talking points of the opening test between India and England at Trent Bridge was the way pacemaker Mohammed Siraj gave batsman Jonny Bairstow a ‘silent’ goodbye after he fired him. While many believed it was the effect of a verbal duel between the two, Bairstow has emphasized that no words were exchanged between him and Siraj at Trent Bridge. “There was absolutely nothing in it. He” [Mohammed Siraj] said nothing to me and I said nothing to him. I didn’t know where that really came from,” Bairstow said in a virtual press conference on Wednesday ahead of the second Test at Lords.
When asked about verbal arguments in the first test, he said, “Actually, I wasn’t sure there were too many verbal words. [spat] flying around if I’m honest. There was nothing Siraj said to me in the middle and vice versa.”
For England, James Anderson has joined Stuart Broad as an injury doubt ahead of the second Test from Thursday. When asked the same, Bairstow said, “I don’t really have much information.”
Talking about the possibility of both James Andreson and Stuart Broad missing the second test, Bairstow said: “Yeah, it would [be a big loss] for the team. They have 1000 Test wickets between them. So yes, it will be a loss, but with that comes opportunities for other people.”
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Bairstow then explained how the team needs to adapt, as injuries and illnesses can happen overnight and this is inherent in professional sports.
Notably, Saqib Mahmood has been called up as a cover for the England side ahead of the second Test which starts from Thursday.
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