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Former England batsman Jonny Bairstow has been named the new captain of Yorkshire for Division One of the County Championship. Although, the tournament kicks off next week, the recent opportunity gives the England wicketkeeper-batter a crucial opportunity to showcase his skills and potentially reclaim a spot in England’s red-ball squad. It is to be noted that Bairstow’s last international appearance came in the T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final against India, where England suffered a defeat.
Following in the footsteps of his late father, who captained Yorkshire from 1984 to 1988, Bairstow will take on the leadership role at his boyhood club. He will lead Yorkshire as they make their return to Division One next week at Headingley, while Dawid Malan will continue as the T20 Blast captain. A Bradford native who progressed through Yorkshire’s ranks, Bairstow played a pivotal role in their 2015 County Championship-winning campaign, amassing 1,108 runs at an impressive average of 92.33 in just nine matches.
The country is embedded in my heart, and I take pride: Jonny Bairstow on captaincy role
Captaincy role was under consideration for Bairstow since last summer, following the decision to break company with Shan Masood, now at Leicestershire, who had held the position for two years as the club started to recover from the racism crisis that had left them in disarray.
“I am incredibly proud to have been named captain of Yorkshire. The county is embedded in my heart, and I take immense pride in representing the club on the field. I'm very pleased and excited for what the season holds. We've got a great bunch of lads who have been working hard for some time. It was fantastic, first of all, for us to get promoted last year after what has been a very tough couple of years for the club," said Bairstow to ESPNCricinfo, while expressing his gratitude.
Meanwhile, Dawid Malan has been named captain for the T20 Blast. Malan boasts an impressive T20 record, having played a key role in England’s 2022 World Cup triumph. His exceptional form propelled him to the top of the ICC T20 batting rankings in September 2020, cementing his place in a competitive squad.
