An incident while playing golf has proven calamitous for England batter Jonny Bairstow, who has been ruled out of action for the coming months and is set to miss the T20 World Cup in Australia in October-November. The player is ruled out of the final Test against South Africa and also their marquee trip Down Under.
In a statement issued on September 2, the England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed that the 32-year-old has suffered a lower-limb injury to his left leg after a “freak” accident at the golf course. He will be meeting a specialist in the coming week to “ascertain the full extent” of his injury.
As per an ESPNcricinfo report, Bairstow “sustained the injury when he slipped while walking to a tee box” during a game of golf at the Pannal Golf Club near Harrogate on the morning of the day he had his T20 World Cup dream effectively over.
Soon after ECB confirmed his exit from the World Cup touring party, Bairstow issued a personal statement, admitting he is “absolutely gutted” to know he will not be boarding the plane to Australia. Nevertheless, he promised to come back stronger from the unfortunate mishap.
“Unfortunately I am going to be unavailable of [sic] games/tours in the immediate future. The reason being is that I have injured my lower leg in a freak accident and it shall need an operation.”
“The injury came when I slipped on the golf course this morning. I am gutted and want to wish everyone for this week at The Oval all the best firstly and the boys that are going to Australia for the T20 World Cup. Absolutely gutted! I will be back,”
the player wrote on Instagram.
If he had made the T20 World Cup, Bairstow was set to open the batting alongside skipper Jos Buttler, as confirmed by England’s managing director of cricket Rob Key to the press in the wake of struggling Jason Roy’s axing.
Bairstow was in phenomenal touch during England’s T20I series versus the Proteas last month, top-scoring for the hosts with 147 runs at a strike-rate of 141.34.
