England are set to take a gamble on the fitness of Roy – who has been out for a fortnight with a hamstring injury – in a bid to resurrect their semi-final hopes.
And they will do so against a backdrop of criticism that infuriated Bairstow after former England greats Michael Vaughan and Kevin Pietersen got stuck in after defeats against Sri Lanka and Australia.
Bairstow insists Roy’s return would lend a “relaxed confidence” to the top of the order which has been missing in their previous three matches while James Vince has deputised.
“Because we’ve done it for a little while now (together) there’s a relaxed confidence if that makes sense,” said Bairstow, speaking at a Yorkshire Tea National Cricket Week event.
“The level that we’ve operated at in different areas against different teams and our strengths complement each other with it.
“There are differences in a balance between the two of us and an understanding that I’ve batted with him and known him for quite a while so if he’s up or too much then you can say, ‘Oi! Come on!’ or vice versa.
“It’s just having that understanding between your partners and you can only get that by spending time in the middle.”
But a typically feisty Bairstow also took aim criticism from Vaughan who claimed going out at the group stage would represent their worst ever World Cup campaign.
Pietersen had also aimed a barb at captain Eoin Morgan insisting he was “backing away” when Mitchell Starc was bowling.
“Because we’ve done so well, any opportunity for someone to see we’ve lost two games, they were always going to jump on it. People were waiting for us to fail.
“They are not willing us on to win, in many ways, they are waiting for you to get that loss, so they can jump on your throat. It’s a typical English thing to do, in every sport.”
“We’ve obviously messed a couple of games up even if we were a bit unlucky at Lord’s not to take two, maybe three early wickets against Australia.
“Batting-wise we then lost early wickets. You lose early wickets no matter who you’re playing against you’re going to find it difficult.
“But we just have to be relaxed as the more you tense up, then the more you’re going to go into your shell and therefore not playing how you’ve been playing.”
India fans will be out in force on Sunday at an Edgbaston with as many as 80 per cent supporting Virat Kohli’s men.
But Bairstow called on England fans to match the Bharat Army. I’m hoping they turn up. Look, it is going to be good fun. We’ve had some good experiences at Edgbaston with our one-day cricket and it is a great place to go out and play. With the fans that are so vocal there, it should be a cracker.”