Just six months after his first inclusion in an England Test side Jonny Bairstow is now recognised as a stalwart member of the team after youngster Joe Root claimed he would learn from his team-mate’s experiences ahead of their tour of India.

Root, selected for his first ever Test tour by new captain Alastair Cook last week, has worked well with Bairstow at county level for two years and this season’s exploits at the top of Yorkshire’s order has earned him a deserved role in the national side.

Speaking to BBC Radio Leeds, Root revealed that the experience Bairstow gained from his debut baptism of fire against West Indies in May will come in handy when the two head to India this winter.

“I’ll definitely learn from what he went through,” Root confirmed. “It was great to see him come back so strongly and become a better player.”

Indeed, Root is right to take heed of Bairstow’s Test exploits this summer as the 21-year-old prepares for a whole new world of cricket. He may have helped Yorkshire to promotion back to the County Championship Division One this season but that is nothing compared with the pressure of standing at the England crease.

With former captain Andrew Strauss now retired, Cook is searching for an opener to fill the void and if Root does well out in India he may well cement a place in the side for next summer’s Ashes series.

Using Bairstow’s experience as a benchmark for aiding his own performances will put Root in good stead for a tricky tour of India. The Yorkshireman must be ready to pick up the bat and meet England’s high standards and with Bairstow in the dressing room Root has a guide to ease him through this rigorous test.