Jonny Bairstow 7/1 to score a century on 100th Test cap for England

Jonny Bairstow is set to make his 100th Test appearance for England when he takes to the field against India on Thursday.

12 years after making his Test debut against West Indies, Bairstow will become the 17th Englishman to reach the exclusive landmark when he appears in the fifth Test in Dharamsala.

The career of the Yorkshire batter has been far from straightforward. Selection indecision hindered his availability in the early years, while injury has blighted him in latter; it was when he was at the peak of his powers in 2022 that he was involved in a freak accident at a golf course, prompting fears he may never walk again, let alone play cricket.

And yet for all the adversity Bairstow has faced, he’s always battled through and delivered countless outstanding performances for his country.

Though England have already lost the series, the 34-year-old will be looking to end the tour of India on a high.

Bairstow is 7/1 to celebrate the milestone with a 13th Test century, with his last hundred delivered against India at Edgbaston in July 2022.

He has struggled in England’s series so far, scoring just 170 runs at an average of 21.25. Knocks of 38 and 30 in Ranchi represented an improvement and Bairstow is 5/6 to score over 51.5 runs in the match.

As England prepare for battle in the final Test of the series, we’ve delved into the archives and picked out Bairstow’s five best matches.

South Africa v England, Cape Town (January 2016)

2016 was the year where Bairstow truly announced himself on the Test stage, accumulating 1,470 runs in 17 matches at an average of 58.80 - the most runs of any wicketkeeper in a calendar year.

His rich vein of form stemmed from his maiden century at Cape Town.

Ben Stokes earned all the plaudits for hitting the fastest double century in England's Test history but Bairstow's unbeaten 150 was an equally vital contribution, with the pair producing a world record stand of 399 for the sixth wicket.

Bairstow was flawless, finding the boundary on 20 occasions and helping England to produce a mammoth total of 629. The match may have ended in a draw but the stand of Bairstow and Stokes remains a performance to be revered.

Sri Lanka v England, Colombo (November 2018)

After relinquishing the wicketkeeping gloves to Ben Foakes following injury, Bairstow forced his way back into the side as a specialist batter and laid emphatic claim to England's problem position at number three.

He made easy work of Sri Lanka's spinners, powering to an impressive 110. He greeted his century with an enormous roar, a release of all the frustration that had been built up in his absence.

It was yet another testament to Bairstow's incredible persistence and his tally helped England to seal a famous 3-0 series whitewash.

England v New Zealand, Trent Bridge (June 2022)

Not only did the appointment of Brendon McCullum as head coach reinvigorate England's Test side, but it also gave Bairstow greater purpose.

After defeating New Zealand by five wickets in their first Test match at Lord's, England were tasked with a daunting run chase a fortnight later in the second Test in Nottingham.

Bairstow emerged from the dressing room with England 56-3 in their pursuit of a victory target of 299, and with a shade more than 57 overs remaining.

In truly astonishing fashion, Bairstow brought New Zealand to their knees with a ruthless 92-ball 136 - he raced to a hundred after just 77 deliveries - which enabled England to go on and claim the unlikeliest of triumphs.

England v India, Edgbaston (July 2022)

By this stage, 'Bazball' hysteria was in full flow. Shortly after dispatching the number one ranked Test side in a 3-0 whitewash, India arrived at Edgbaston to conclude a Covid-disrupted series.

Bairstow made not just one, but two centuries in this match. His score of 106 in the first innings was arguably his most impressive stand across a run-laden summer; at the start of day three, Bairstow had 12 runs on the board with England 84-5. He and Stokes weathered the storm before targeting Mohammed Siraj and Shardul Thakur.

Bairstow reached his 100 with a clinical 83 off 34 balls and he would carry his invincible form into the second innings.

With Joe Root matching him stroke for stroke at the other end, Bairstow cruised to 114 not out as England nonchalantly completed a record chase of 378 to defeat the visitors in a memorable seven-wicket win.

England v Australia, Old Trafford (July 2023)

Subject to criticism for the standard of his wicketkeeping in the Ashes series, the foundations of Bairstow's career had been set on silencing his doubters.

After his controversial run out at Lord's and his sloppy glovework coming under the spotlight at Headingley, Bairstow delivered with the bat and gloves at Old Trafford.

England needed to win in Manchester to prevent Australia from retaining the Ashes and they posted a mammoth first innings total of 592, with Bairstow at his dazzling best. The Yorkshireman produced a beastly 82-ball 99, playing a series of pulverising pull-shots and was only denied his century after James Anderson was trapped lbw by Cameron Green.

In the field it was the Bairstow of old, having producing a spectacular diving catch to dismiss Mitchell Marsh.

Though England were impressive, the weather was not and Manchester's customary showers ultimately cost England the chance of completing a spectacular series win.