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Bairstow keen to be man for all occasions for England

Jonny Bairstow believes he can alter his game © PA Photos

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England's Jonny Bairstow has revealed that his swashbuckling batting style is something that comes naturally to him, and is glad no coach ever tried to rein him in as a youngster learning the game.

The 23-year-old is preparing for his first Test tour of India this winter, having made a significant impact in the four Tests and handful of one-day and Twenty20 internationals he has played in his fledgling career to date.

It is the Yorkshire man's aggressive, attacking style that has caught the eye most of all - something he has pledged not to tone down as his career continues.

"I never really got coached until I was 15," Bairstow told the Daily Telegraph. "No one really ever tried to coach that [attacking style] out of me. Why would you want to coach natural flair, and the ability to take the game from an opposition, out of a player that enjoys doing so?"

On his technique, he added: "I'd say it's pretty much the same as when I started. There have been tweaks and changes, but I didn't really like batting in the nets. I felt claustrophobic within them. It was a case of going out and enjoying yourself."

Bairstow is aware, however, that he will have to be patient on the slower, turning pitches of the sub-continent. He does not expect that to be a problem - noting the differing innings he has already played in England's middle order.

In an ODI in Cardiff last year he struck 41 off 21 balls to win the match, but he insists he has also been happy to play at a much slower run rate in difficult Test situations.

"You've got to see the ball and hit the ball," he said. "The situation at Cardiff was that we needed nine an over. There wasn't a chance to think about it, to think about sitting in a little bit.

"We needed nine an over and the game was set. But in the last Test at Lord's [this summer], the situation was that we had to dig in and work hard, and if the ball was there, then put it away. We scored one run in 45 minutes."

If Bairstow does play in a Test match against India, he will surpass his father David - who played four Tests for England. David died when Jonny was just eight, however, meaning the son only has a few childhood memories of a man he often finds himself being measured against.

"There's always going to be pressure. My father had his career, and he was a very likeable character, very successful," he said. "There are a lot of memorable stories that people have about him. You still hear them, day to day, when you meet people, and they're fantastic to hear.

"But I wanted to try to stamp my mark on my own career. I want to be as good as him, if not better, and it's still a work in progress, because he played for 20 years."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.