Jonny Bairstow's doppelganger spotted in stands during 1st Test; Ben Stokes gives stunning reaction to female fan's placard

During the second Test match between England and New Zealand, a fan’s banner caught the attention of not only cricket fans around the world but also England captain Ben Stokes. He noticed the banner in the stands as the televised cameras showed it and had a hilarious reaction.

A female fan wrote on her banner that her boyfriend Ben has come to watch cricket, and she came to see Ben Stokes. He could not keep his emotions in check after reading what was written on it, and he was seen laughing, with the broadcasters not missing his reaction. The commentators were perplexed as to who the banner was for because Duckett and Foakes were also on the field, but it was clear that it was aimed at Stokes.

Cricket fans were also surprised to see the fan's boyfriend sitting next to her in the stands. Many people pointed out that the person resembled Jonny Bairstow on social media.


Bairstow has been out of action since September after suffering an injury while playing golf. He had a spectacular summer last year, destroying both the Indian and New Zealand bowling attacks. He missed the T20 World Cup in 2022 as well as tours to Pakistan and New Zealand.



Bairstow is expected to return to cricket soon, most likely during the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL), in which he'll play for the Shikhar Dhawan-led Punjab Kings. He will be an important part of England's Ashes campaign in 2023, which is set to begin in June.

Concerning the current match, England faces a difficult battle to complete a 2-0 series sweep after Stokes's decision to impose a follow-on backfired. England is 48-1 heading into the final day, needing 210 more runs. Kane Williamson hit a century for New Zealand, which rallied from a 226-run deficit in the first innings.

FAQs:

1. How many centuries has Jonny Bairstow scored in total?
   ODI: 11 and Test: 12
2. How many runs does Ben Stokes have in the IPL?
   920 runs