Jonny Bairstow has been ruled out of England’s fifth one-day international and the one-off Twenty20 International against Sri Lanka after injuring his right ankle while playing football at training before the fourth ODI in Pallekele.
Bairstow missed the fourth ODI, and was replaced by Alex Hales in the XI as England took an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series by winning the match by 18 runs (DLS method). The England management have now confirmed that the wicket-keeper batsman will not be available for the remainder of the white-ball leg of the tour.
“He will be monitored and assessed on a daily basis by the England medical team in Sri Lanka and a further update will be given in due course on his fitness ahead of the three-match Test series starting next month,” the England and Wales Cricket Board said in a statement.
Bairstow was injured while warming up with a game of football as practice before the last game. It is understood that coach Trevor Bayliss is not a big fan of the pre-match routine, but players like it.
Bairstow might miss at least some part of the Test series – beginning 6 November in Galle – as well. Should that be the case, Jos Buttler, who kept wickets in one match during the series against India at home recently, could take back the gloves, though England also have in their squad Rory Burns, who keeps wickets for Surrey.
