England wicketkeeper-batter Jonny Bairstow has joined former teammate Liam Livingstone in expressing concerns about the current leadership of Brendon McCullum, Ben Stokes, and Rob Key.
Bairstow has claimed that the England management shows favoritism toward certain players, allowing some to feel too secure in their positions without real competition.
“You need care back in the game. It’s fine to say people care, but they don’t. If you’re in the system, you’re in it. Once you’re out, you’re out,” Bairstow said on BBC Sport.
“When there’s no one challenging you, you get too comfortable. That comfort leads to complacency, and when someone questions you, you’re not ready for it because you’re in an environment that isn’t pushing you,” he added.
Bairstow’s last appearance for England was during their Test series against India in early 2024, where he played his 100th Test match in Dharamshala. He was a key player in the early Bazball phase in 2022, scoring four hundreds in his first four Tests under Stokes and McCullum. However, he does not anticipate a recall to the team soon.
“Based on the last few years, I’m not sure it’s on their radar. It would be interesting to ask them if I score a couple of hundreds early in the season,” he said.
Bairstow will return as captain of Yorkshire in the 2026 County Championship. Last season, he scored 735 runs for the team at an average of 45.93.