England’s injury woes ahead of the start of a hectic home summer continued. After Ben Stokes (hand injury) and Jofra Archer (elbow injury), Foakes has now suffered a hamstring injury that has ruled him out of the two-match Test series against New Zealand, which starts on June 2 London.
James Bracey, who is the other wicket-keeper batsman in the England squad, is all set to make his Test debut in the first Test against New Zealand at Lord’s. The Gloucestershire stumper has aggregated 479 runs at an average of 47.90 in this 2021 season of the County Championship so far. He has been a part of the England bio-bubble squads in almost every series since the resumption of cricket in July last year.
Foakes suffered a tear on his left hamstring in a freak dressing room accident. The wicket-keeper batsman was walking around in the Surrey dressing room after the completion of their game against Middlesex, but Foakes slipped as he was only in his socks. And that caused the injury.
With multi-format players like Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow rested, Foakes was England’s incumbent wicket-keeper batsman for the upcoming Test series against New Zealand. He has played eight Test matches so far in his career, but all of them have come away from home, and he looked all set to play his first Test in England. The Surrey wicket-keeper batsman has been very impressive with the bat and also behind the stums. Moreover, he is regarded as one of the best wicket-keepers going around in the England cricketing circles.
Foakes will be assessed and rehabilitated alongside the Surrey medical side. The England and Wales Cricket Board mentioned that the 28-year-old wicket-keeper batsman is expected to be out of action for at least three months. That basically rules him out of the five-match Test series against India, which will be played in August-September at home.
Thus, as a result, uncapped Sam Billings has been added to the Test squad alongside Haseeb Hameed. Billings was a part of the England IPL contingent, but he did not play a single game for the Delhi Capitals. Moreover, he returned to lead Kent in their last County Championship game against Glamorgan.
Hameed, who played three Test matches for England back in 2016 when they toured India, has been in solid form in the County season. He has amassed 474 runs at an average of 52.66, which includes a couple of hundreds and as many half-centuries. He is due to play Nottinghamshire’s next County fixture against Warwickshire at Edgbaston as well before he links up with the remaining England squad in London on Sunday night.
Foakes was looking forward to playing his first Test match in England. However, he wasn’t really thinking of things that aren’t in his control, like the number of opportunities he might get. All he was focusing on was to contribute with both bat and with the gloves.
“You can preoccupy with the external stuff that’s not in your control. I am not wondering how many games I might get. I just want to get picked, and treat it for what it is – a game. I’m not worried about any add-ons.
I would like to get runs and catch well, but I wouldn’t say I’m trying to put reminders in peoples’ minds or anything like that. I’m just trying to do well,“
Foakes had said last week.
