Jonny Bairstow: “I want to go on and play as many tests as I can because you get remembered for how many tests you’ve played”

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England wicketkeeper-batsman Jonny Bairstow is worried about the future of Test cricket, but insists that it remains a “huge” part of international cricket.

Bairstow’s comments come after England spinner Adil Rashid and opening batsman Alex Hales signed white-ball deals with their respective county sides.

Since there is a possibility more cricketers could go down the same route, Bairstow admitted that Test cricket has to be preserved.

“Test cricket is huge and if we’re not careful there’s going be more and more people who do that,” Bairstow was quoted as saying by Newshub. “You’ve got lucrative tournaments around the world now where people can go off for five weeks and earn a heck of a lot of money when the strain and stress on the body bowling four overs is comparatively less to bowling 24 overs in a day in Test cricket.”

Bairstow, however, has no plans to solely focus on limited overs cricket as he is eager to prolong his Test career and keep representing his country in the longest format.

“I want to go on and play as many tests as I can because you get remembered for how many tests you’ve played,” he said. “If you look back at the record books I’m sure you guys can name how many people have played 100 Test matches and you compare that to the people who have played potentially the same amount of ODIs or T20s, the names that stand out are the names in Test cricket, all around the world.”