ENGLAND star Jonny Bairstow has been blasted as “overweight” by pundit Jim Maxwell ahead of the second Ashes test.

The Aussies secured victory by two wickets at Edgbaston in the opener.

Bairstow scored 78 in the first innings but missed huge chances behind the stumps.

It has led to calls demanding that specialist wicketkeeper Ben Foakes starts instead.

Maxwell believes England should bring the Surrey star back in after he was dropped to allow Bairstow to continue his recovery from a broken leg.

The veteran commentator also slammed him and Ben Stokes’ team selection.

Maxwell told the Daily Mail: “The vital thing in that game was the catching. England let themselves down. They keep doing this every now and then. I don’t understand it.

“They keep picking a bloke who is not a wicketkeeper. I would pick the wicketkeeper first and then pick all the rest of them.

“You can’t have a bloke who is a bit overweight, been out of nick because of his injury, doing the job of a Foakes.

“They’ve got to get Foakes back in the team because he is their best wicketkeeper and you need a bloke who can turn a half-chance into a wicket.

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“But they are a bit stubborn, the Poms, I’m afraid, and it might cost them at Lord’s if they don’t lift their game collectively.”

Maxwell’s criticism didn’t stop there as he labelled Ben Duckett “not good enough”.

This comes after he recorded 12 and 19 as the opener at Edgbaston.

Maxwell also thinks the Australians can play better than they did in the first test and England won’t up it.

The second Ashes test gets underway tomorrow at Lord’s.