Bairstow averaged 25 in the series. Buttler averaged 38. Thats how averages work. You cant just pick and choose the matches your guy did well in and forget the rest. My lasting memory is stumps going everywhere
We'll see if Buttler does indeed open the batting in Barbados. My money is on him staying where he is
Depends if you place sole stock on averages - most people now are moving away from "raw" averages and in to assessment of the actual value of a performance - including the England set up. By that measure, match winning innings in the first two tests of a series rather trump a gutsy but - lets face it - ultimately facile hundred in a big defeat. I think most people would take into account the fact that Bairstow was playing injured for the second hald of the series too...
Indeed - I believe the England analysis setup rate Buttler's recent performances extremely highly despite him not tonning up. I'm not sure they'd place as much emphasis on 'match winning' innings in which Bairstow was outscored in both knocks by his partner at the other end. You're getting more one-eyed than ever here - if it's a 'match winning innnings' when Bairstow makes 70/93 as junior partner to Root/Woakes then it can't be dismissed as a 'cameo' when Buttler top scores with 69/89 in the last two tests of the series! Doing Buttler a huge disservice to say anything other than he's been absolutely brilliant since coming back in.
Haha just when I thought we were having a sensible discussion, you resort to petty insults. Shame, though given the content of your comments, I'm not that surprised.
I am always open to Innovative thoughts and ideas just in this case I feel you are suggesting what is good for 1 man not best for the teamAs for breaking up same handed openers - Greenidge & Haynes, Langer & Hayden, Cook & Strauss. Statistically, I think, the 3 best opening partnerships of modern times. If the batsmen are good enough they will score runs.
How very one-eyed of me. Not that I am - I'm looking for a more balanced configuration that best utilises the available talent. Yes, I confess I believe Bairstow is a much better player than Buttler - though I would be amazed if anyone were seriously arguing otherwise on that - but his happiness or otherwise is largely irrelevant.As to the opening issues, it isn't that same sided openers does t work as much as that Burns and Jennings are so similar in their style and pace of play. I think there is a danger that they could get bogged so far down...
I confess I believe Bairstow is a much better player than Buttler - though I would be amazed if anyone were seriously arguing otherwise on that
I would be amazed if many people actually agreed with that statement given that thete is little to call between them given how similar their international records are - Bairstow averages 37.7 compared to Butler's 36.8. In fact, there is a fairly strong argument to say that Bairstow's record has been padded out by one exceptional year whereas he has failed to average above 35 in 6 of his 7 seasons as a test match cricketer. Butler on the otherhand has averaged at least 38 in 3 of his 4 years of test cricket.Stats aside, Bairstow clearly had a technical issue against seam bowling. For a top order batsman to be bowled for more than a quarter of his dismissals highlights a real problem. He remains one of England's best players of spin - as his record of scoring 3 of his 5 hundreds and averaging above 100 against Sri Lanka would demonstrate - but he has much work to do against the seamers.