Bairstow replaces injured Pietersen as England bid for series victory

By David Clough, Press Association

PUBLISHED: 01:51 EST, 21 March 2013 | UPDATED: 05:00 EST, 21 March 2013

Jonny Bairstow will replace the injured Kevin Pietersen in the final Test against New Zealand at Eden Park, England captain Alastair Cook confirmed.

England must go into the series decider on Friday without Pietersen, who is to fly home tonight because of an injury in his right knee from which he will take at least six to eight weeks to recover.

Pietersen made the trip to watch England fine-tune their preparations in a net session, after which Cook spoke of his disappointment that the mercurial batsman is unavailable and his hope that Bairstow can rise to the occasion.

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Replacement: England's Jonny Bairstow (left) has stepped in for the injured Kevin Pietersen

'Obviously, it's a blow when you lose one of your senior batters and a guy who's performed consistently well for us over a number of years,' he said.

'He's a great player, and will be missed.

'But it gives an opportunity to Jonny Bairstow coming in.'

The 23-year-old Yorkshireman deputised to significant effect for Pietersen, against South Africa at Lord's last August, when the South Africa-born batsman was in the middle of an unedifying dispute with his employers and team-mates.

Bairstow subsequently lost his place back to Pietersen, when the latter was 'reintegrated' into the team for the tour of India, and has not played a Test since November in Mumbai - on that occasion replacing Ian Bell, who had flown home because of the birth of his first child.

Blow: Pietersen will miss the final Test through injury as England seek overall victory

Cook added: 'He's probably been a little unlucky not to be selected earlier, through circumstance this winter.

'So he has a great opportunity to try to end this winter well.'

Bairstow has been an ever-present in England's 2012/13 touring squads, save for the one-day international series in India when he was absent because of a family illness.

But he has played precious little, most recently in England's series-clinching Twenty20 victory over the Kiwis in Wellington last month.

'In an ideal situation, you'd like a little bit more match practice behind you,' Cook said.

'But you can't choose sometimes, and I know he's just very excited about being given the opportunity - and he won't be looking at that as a negative.

Missed it: England's Ian Bell dives for a catch during the nets session at Eden Park

'He can go out there very fresh, and raring to go.

'He's desperately keen to be involved. He's been on all the winter tours.

'He only got one knock in the Tests in India. Coming back after playing really well against South Africa at Lord's, to then miss out because of the balance of the team was probably a tough call to make.'

Bairstow may yet be able to press his claims as a first-choice batsman at the start of a high-profile summer - in which England play New Zealand again, host a Champions Trophy and then face Australia in the first of two back-to-back Ashes series.

'He was obviously very disappointed, and now he's got the other end of the stick - where he gets a last-minute chance to play well.

Checking: England's bowlers Stuart Broad and James Anderson inspect the drop-in wicket

'If you're in the shirt and you put in a really good performance, it makes it great for the side and makes competition for places even better.'

Apart from their one enforced change, England are thought likely to stick with the players who drew the first two Tests in Dunedin and Wellington.

Their opponents have to decide whether to accommodate Doug Bracewell, after just one comeback match for Central Districts yesterday as he seeks to prove he has recovered from his foot injury.

The seamer was not at New Zealand practice today, but was expected to fly in to join his prospective team-mates tonight.

VIDEO: KP injury a blow for Cook