‘He’s got to train harder to get more confidence’ – Kumar Sangakkara weighs in on Jonny Bairstow’s wicketkeeping struggles

Kumar Sangakkara and Jonny Bairstow2. (Photo Source: Getty Images)

An eventful first day at Headingley saw the spoils shared between Australia and England in the third and decisive Test match of the series. Former Sri Lankan wicketkeeper-batter and icon Kumar Sangakkara has come to the rescue of under-fire Jonny Bairstow, who dropped a couple of catches on the first day in Leeds.

Jonny Bairstow’s Ashes is not going as well as he would’ve planned as the wicketkeeper-batter came under the scanner once again after a lacklustre effort behind the stumps on the first day of the Headingley Test. The explosive batter dropped a tough chance of Steve Smith earlier in the day before making a mess of a routing take to dismiss Travis Head.

Although the two errors did not cost the home side much, former Sri Lankan cricketer Kumar Sangakkara expects better from the Yorkshireman. While Sangakkara acknowledged the difficulties of keeping the wickets in England, he expects Bairstow to train harder to improve his skills.

“I understand in England the conditions are not as easy when keeping to fast bowling with the wobble. Having said that, Jonny Bairstow is a good ‘keeper and we’ve been analysing his technique seven ways from Sunday in terms of the games he’s played. But it’s fair criticism in the way he’s kept, he’s got to train harder to get more confidence and rhythm into his keeping because his job is very, very crucial,” Sangakkara said on Sky Sports.

England’s day to forget on the field

It is worth noting that England has a first-choice wicketkeeper-batter in Ben Foakes, waiting in the wings. While Bairstow was accused of having butter fingers, England’s former skipper Joe Root endured a day to forget in Leeds. Root, who has one of the safest pair of hands in the England team, dropped a few catches, including one of Mitchell Marsh. Marsh’s drop proved to be a costly error as the Aussie all-rounder went on to smack a blistering century after being dropped on just 12 runs.