ENG vs IND | Jonny Bairstow surpasses Michael Clarke's decade-long Test record

Mercurial Jonny Bairstow pulled off his third successive run-chase special as a jubilant English side defeated India by seven wickets at Birmingham. The cricketer formed an unbeaten 269-run stand with former captain Joe Root to chase down 378 on the final day of the rescheduled Test.

Bairstow blasted a rebellious 114* in the decisive innings to finish the match with twin tons. Unsurprisingly, he was also adjudged ‘Player of the Match’ for his efforts as the hosts drew level the five-match Test series with India 2-2.

Remarkably, his twin centuries in the match were preceded by three successive 50-plus scores against the visiting New Zealanders, including a 92-ball 136 on a Day 5 Nottingham track.

Overall, the 32-year-old has piled up six centuries this year, with four of them coming in the ongoing English summer alone. Bairstow’s run-scoring extravaganza in 2022 now puts him above former Australian captain Michael Clarke for an illustrious decade-old Test record.

Bairstow tops Michael Clarke post-Birmingham knock

The right-hander has plundered six Test hundreds this year, all while batting at number five or lower. Previously, Australian legend Michael Clarke slammed five Test tons at the same position back in 2012. Notably, four out of Clarke’s five centuries that year were converted into doubles, with one turning into a career-best triple hundred as well.

Moreover, Bairstow has now aggregated 337 Test runs in successful run-chases for England in 2022. On the other hand, his senior teammate Root has plundered 346 runs. The two cricketers are only behind former South African skipper Graeme Smith (487 in 2008) in terms of most runs scored in successful chases across Tests in a calendar year.