Earlier this month, Jonny Bairstow said he was "on the right track" in his recovery after breaking his leg in three places and dislocating his ankle in a freak accident back in September.
Bairstow has had surgery on the injury and has begun running again, with the 33-year-old likely to return to action in the IPL provided there are no setbacks in his recovery. He will then look to regain his place in the Test team ahead of the Ashes, with head coach Brendon McCullum stating in December that "as soon as he's fit he's back in the side".
However, in Bairstow's absence Harry Brook has slotted in seamlessly at number five, smashing three hundreds and five half-centuries in seven Test innings against South Africa, Pakistan and New Zealand. With Ollie Pope impressing at number three, where he averages 43.05, and Joe Root and Ben Stokes undroppable, England face a real dilemma on how to get Bairstow back in the side.
