England, with the win at Mumbai, is hopeful of a positive result in the third Test against India, felt the visitor’s young middle-order batsman Jonny Bairstow.
Bairstow, who spoke on behalf of the team after a practice session at the Eden Gardens, said the confidence of the side comes mainly from an improved batting and bowling that have changed the team into a winning outfit. The long rest of eight days between the two matches will also help the team to get recharged before the new assignment, said Bairstow. “We have had a nice time off after the Mumbai Test and have recharged our batteries. The confidence and morale of the side is obviously very high at the moment,” he added.
The England batsman was ecstatic about the form of captain Alastair Cook and Kevin Pietersen, who scored 186 in Mumbai, and said that their performances would serves as good examples for the others.
“They (Cook and Pietersen) played outstandingly well. Cook played brilliantly in both the Tests. Kevin played the way he does in Mumbai.”
Different conditions
Bairstow said the match in Kolkata will be a bigger challenge as it will be held in different conditions. “It is still going to be tough. With different weather conditions there will be reverse swing and it may be difficult to handle the spinners too. We look forward to carry the confidence to the remaining two matches,” he said.
The England batsman ruled out the possibility of any major change in the winning combination.
“I do not see a massive change (in the team). We will obviously go the same way we did in the first two Tests. We hope that we will come out with a positive result,” Bairstow saidlooking forward to an absorbing contest.
