New Zealand allrounder James Neesham warned Virat Kohli and his India teammates after Jonny Bairstow’s attacking display in the ongoing Test at Edgbaston.
Continuing his recent form in Tests, Jonny Bairstow, on Sunday (July 3), took India’s attack to the cleaners on day three of the match. Bairstow and Ben Stokes started the proceedings with the bat on day three with England firmly on the backfoot.
In reply to India’s first innings total of 416, the hosts were reeling at 84 for 5 at the start of day. Bairstow struggled to play his natural game at beginning and was troubled by both Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami.
However, once he found his rhythm, there was absolutely no stopping him as the right-handed batsman hit the Indian bowlers all around the park. He had managed to score only 13 runs off the first 60 balls he faced before he shifted gears. In the next 21 balls, he slammed 33 runs to race away to his fifty.
Bairstow played the big shots consistently to keep India under pressure and inched towards another Test century. Before rain forced an early match, he raced away to 91 off 113 balls. The England star has already hit 12 fours and 2 sixes.
James Neesham’s warning for Team India:
With Jonny Bairstow taking India’s attack to the cleaners, New Zealand star James Neesham took to Twitter to warn Virat Kohli and his teammates. Earlier in the day, Kohli was involved in a furious exchange of words with Bairstow.
Watch: Furious Virat Kohli Involved In Heated Exchange With Jonny Bairstow Before Taunting Him For Missed Shot
Bairstow was struggling at that stage before finding his rhythm. And Neesham indirectly warned Team India not to make Bairstow angry, saying that the England batsman becomes ten times better when the opposition teams make him angry.
Last month, New Zealand had to face Bairstow’s wrath with the bat as he ripped them apart. In the three-match Test series, he had scored 394 runs at a strike-rate of 120. Bairstow hit two centuries and a 30-ball fifty to help England whitewash New Zealand. Having seen that carnage from the England star, Neesham tweeted:
“Why do opposing teams keep making Jonny Bairstow angry lol, he gets 10x better. Give him a gift basket each morning, let him know you’re having his car valeted while he’s batting. Anything to keep him happy”
Why do opposing teams keep making Jonny Bairstow angry lol, he gets 10x better.
Give him a gift basket each morning, let him know you’re having his car valeted while he’s batting. Anything to keep him happy ?
— Jimmy Neesham (@JimmyNeesh) July 3, 2022