Yorkshire, Nov 13 (IANS) England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow signed a three-year contract extension with Yorkshire County Crickey Club on Thursday.

Having come through the Yorkshire Academy and enjoyed an illustrious international career, including 12 hundreds in 100 Test Matches for England and a World Cup win on home soil in 2019, the wicket-keeper batter is set to play the remainder of his career at Yorkshire.

The 36-year-old will continue as captain in the County Championship, having had significant influence over the White Rose team that matched champion county Nottinghamshire’s points tally in the second half of the campaign.

“I’m delighted to have signed a contract extension and am looking forward to playing my part in what is a hugely exciting period for Yorkshire. Having come through the age-groups and spent all of my career here, it was the only real choice for me, and I’ll continue to wear the White Rose with pride over the next three years,” Bairstow said in a statement.

“Leading the side in the Championship this year was a real honour, and I can’t wait to get back out there in 2026. The performances we put in, particularly in the second half of the campaign, were very encouraging and I am confident that we have got a group of players that can challenge the very best teams over the next few years.

“I’ve enjoyed some of my most cherished memories on the field at Yorkshire and am confident there are plenty more to come. I’d like to thank everyone involved with the Club for their support – we are lucky to have such passionate support and together we will build an exciting future for Yorkshire.”

General Manager of Cricket Gavin Hamilton said, “We are absolutely delighted that Jonny has committed the next three years of his career to the Club.

“Jonny remains one of the best batters in the English game, capable of changing a game single-handedly, and we are very lucky to have him in our side. We saw the impact he can have on numerous occasions this summer, and I have no doubt that there will be many more game-changing performances to come.

“As one of the most experienced international cricketers around, he also has a brilliant influence on the rest of the squad and will continue to drive high standards across our group in the coming years.

“Yorkshire supporters know exactly what they get from Jonny Bairstow – a serious amount of passion and pride at representing his home Club and a strong desire to deliver silverware for Yorkshire. His mentality and approach to the game have already had a strong influence on our culture and I have no doubt he will continue in the same vein.

“Locking Jonny in for another three years is huge for us, and I’m sure I’ll be joined by many supporters in being excited to see him pulling on the White Rose a lot more moving forward.”

–IANS

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