Jonny Bairstow’s return to Yorkshire colours could be the moment that defines their T20 Blast campaign – but only if he’s trusted to lead from the front.
That’s the view of former Yorkshire favourite Ryan Sidebottom, who says Bairstow’s explosive qualities and big-match temperament make him the ideal player to set the tone for a talented but inconsistent squad.
“When he comes back, you surely have to open with Jonny because he loves the big stage, he loves the limelight, and he’s done it so many times,” Sidebottom exclusively told BoyleSports.
“Whatever team you’re in, you want your big stars to have an impact in most games. Jonny’s a huge player and a big character.”
Bairstow is set to return after a mixed IPL play-off outing with Mumbai Indians, but his track record in white-ball cricket speaks for itself. And while touching back down for the White Rose may temporarily interrupt the rhythm of a balanced squad, Sidebottom believes it’s worth it – provided Bairstow is allowed to lead by example.
“It’s not that him coming back is disruptive,” he explained. “But when your big players do come back, you need them to perform.
“You need those players to set a standard for the younger ones to follow. So when Jonny comes back, if he’s performing well, that means the players, the team, are going to do well.”
Yorkshire’s young core have shown promise but have struggled to deliver consistency, seeing defeats against Northamptonshire Steelbacks and Worcestershire Rapids thus far in the tournament. With Anthony McGrath at the helm and Dawid Malan leading the side on the pitch, Sidebottom sees plenty to be optimistic about – especially if the squad can find a settled rhythm.
“At Yorkshire, you’re always under pressure, like a Surrey. And this isn’t disrespectful to your Gloucestershires, Leicestershires or Derbyshires – but Yorkshire, historically, it’s a huge club and the pressure is right there.
“This group of players need to realise that they are very talented. How do you get them to play consistently out in the middle like that? We all know what they’re capable of and what they can achieve – but it’s getting that period of playing well more often than not.
“It will take time. Anthony needs a bedding in period in all formats. He knows the club inside out. He knows what it means to play for Yorkshire.
“It’s such a big county and there are pressures that come with that but he’s inherited a very young team. It’s a young team now that you would have to say needs to play better cricket.”
That pressure, he says, comes with expectations. Despite missing key names like Joe Root and Adil Rashid for parts of the campaign, fans will still expect a strong run.
“There’s always expectancy. The fans expect Yorkshire to make the semi-finals. Will that be the case? How can they handle that?”
Sidebottom even suggests that not having a revolving door of stars early on might work in the squad’s favour – giving them a chance to continue to gel before further fixtures come thick and fast.
“When you’ve got comings and goings all the time, that can be quite difficult. So now this team could have that togetherness, and they know they’re going to play regularly.
“Can they do it on the big stage, and can they play better? We will see.”
But in his eyes, Bairstow is the one exception to that rule.
His return is essential – and so is making sure he’s given the platform to take charge.