Bairstow, now 36, scored four hundreds across the first four matches under the current regime in 2022 before suffering a serious leg injury later that year.

He returned for the 2023 Ashes but was dropped the following summer, with his last Test – a match against India in March 2024 – his 100th.

The England and Wales Cricket Board’s review came after this winter’s 4-1 Ashes defeat, a tour blighted by poor planning, substandard performances and off-field issues.

Bowlers such as Mark Wood, who was picked despite missing the entire summer after knee surgery, only to manage just one Test, broke down with injuries while the batting line-up also struggled with only Joe Root and Jacob Bethell making centuries.

“If people get a finger injury, fine, but you have got to be on the park,” Bairstow said.

“It is OK playing four or five games a summer and missing the rest, but you are not backing things up and that is why you get injured.

“I feel for people like Woody. I feel massively for him.

“He bowls at 95mph and is expected to just come in having not come off the back of any overs.

“There is no wonder he has got injured. He has not been done right in my opinion.”

Speaking on Monday, Key admitted England “overvalued loyalty” throughout the Ashes series.

They stuck with under-performing batters such as Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope rather than looking to others who had performed well in county cricket.

Bairstow said: “As soon as you don’t have people chasing you up your back side you become comfortable.

“When you become comfortable you become complacent, and when someone questions you directly you are not used to it because you are in an environment that is potentially not questioning you in a different way.”

Lancashire all-rounder Liam Livingstone hit out at the England hierarchy last week, suggesting he did not want to be part of the recent T20 World Cup squad and was told by coaches he “cares too much”.

Asked about his own chances of a recall, Bairstow added: “Judging by the last few years, I am not sure it is on their agenda.

“It will be an interesting question for you to pose to them if I do go out and score a couple of hundreds early season.”