"If I Was Rubbish...": Jonny Bairstow Hits Back At Critics After Scoring Unbeaten 99 In Fourth Ashes Test

England wicketkeeper-batter Jonny Bairstow on Friday responded back to criticism received this summer for his performances following a return from injury, labelling it as "tiresome", highlighting how his injury could have ended his career and he is grateful to be where he is physically and as a player. Ever since his return to cricket this summer after a long injury gap, Bairstow has received criticism for his wicketkeeping, which many fans have described as sloppy due to numerous missed opportunities at catches and stumpings. Also, he has not also really continued the purple patch that made him the face of skipper Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum's much-hyped 'Bazball' era that started just last year.

After a fluent half-century in the first Test at Birmingham, Bairstow underperformed in next two games. But here at Manchester in the fourth Ashes Test, his 99* in just 81 balls showcased the flashes of brilliance that earned him acclaim last year as a batter.

"I am just pleased to be playing. Everyone thinks I play better when people go at me, and it gets a bit tiresome to be honest with you," he said as quoted by Sky Sports.

"I have played a lot of cricket now, and to keep being told: 'You're rubbish,' well if I was that rubbish, I would not have played 94 games. I want to go out and enjoy, to entertain. People will have comments on the way I bat, they always have done, and that will carry on, but you can leave them to their comments and I will keep on doing what I do in the middle."

"They can say what they want. They are paid to have an opinion, that is what they are paid to do. If they do not have an opinion, they do not have a job," he concluded his point.

Bairstow said that before this series, he had not kept