'Jonny Bairstow to join England for 3rd & 4th Test matches against India', states ECB

England's assistant batting coach Graham Thorpe has said that star batsman Jonny Bairstow will join squ after first Test against India that gets underway on February 5. However, official England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) media team later confirmed that plan is still for batsman to return for third and fourth Test.

wicket-keeper batsman has been rested for first two Test matches that will be played in Chennai's MA Chidambaram Stium and both  England selectors, as well as team manment, faced huge criticism for same. neless, Thorpe defended team's decision to rest Bairstow for first two Tests given bio-bubble situation forced by coronavirus pandemic.

'Jonny Bairstow to join English team for 3rd & 4th Tests'

"Every individual case is different. y are managing amount of time in environment. T20 World Cup, which is coming up, got IPL tournament as well where players gain a lot of experience. I suppose Jonny is on a white-ball contract at moment as well but he is coming back in after first Test back into squ," Thorpe said in virtual press conference.

But ECB media team later sent out a mess saying: "To clarify, plan is still for Jonny Bairstow to return for third and fourth Test and t second Test. Along with Sam Curran and Mark Wood."

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India Vs England: Test series

elegant number three batsman Joe Root will be leing England in four-match Test series while regular skipper Virat Kohli makes his return to cricket field after paternity leave. Meanwhile, visitors would be hoping to repeat heroics of 2012/13 season where y h registered a 2-1 win in (four-match series) under leership of former iconic opener Alastair Cook. That remains England's last Test series win on Indian soil to date.

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At same time, four-match Test series will also constitute a major part of ongoing inaugural ICC World Test Championship.

Here are fixtures of four-match Test series:

1st Test:  5th-9th Feb (Chennai)

2nd Test: 13th-17th Feb (Chennai)

3rd Test:  24th-28th Feb (Ahmedab)

4th Test:  4th 8th Mar (Ahmedab)

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(With ANI Inputs)