Jonny Bairstow heading in the right direction in his recovery from injury

England wicketkeeper-batter Jonny Bairstow has yet to set a return date following injury despite admitting his recovery is on the “right track”.

The 33-year-old Yorkshireman underwent successful surgery on a broken leg and dislocated ankle in September after a freak golf incident, ruling him out of his country’s victorious T20 World Cup campaign and the Test tour of Pakistan.

Prior to the injury, Bairstow was in excellent form during a year which produced four Test hundreds and an average of 75.66.

“It (the leg) is improving, we’re on the right track, we’re about four-and-a-half months post it (the injury) happening now,” Bairstow said at the Marylebone Cricket Club ‘spirit of cricket’ panel.

“I haven’t actually got a return date just yet but I’m seeing a surgeon later on in the month so we’ll wait and see how that goes, but things are tracking in the right direction.

“It’s a bit more complicated than just breaking your leg, but that’s just one of the things that you deal with.

“Everyone has been dealt a card, everyone has challenges put in front of them, but it’s just another thing you can overcome.”

Bairstow has spent a rare winter at home and admitted it has taken some getting used to.

“It’s been quite good at times, it’s been quite boring at times.

“It has been tricky, obviously the night before I did my ankle, I spoke to Matthew Mott and Jos (Buttler) and they spoke about me opening the batting in T20 side and that’s what I’ve been wanting to do for a little period of time, so I was absolutely delighted.

“And then it’s amazing how quickly things can turn on it’s head, within 12 hours I was laying on a hospital bed, my leg in a cast and my ankle being put back in place.”