Uncapped wicket-keeper Ben Foakes has been called up to England’s Test squad for their series against Sri Lanka as cover for the injured Jonny Bairstow, who damaged his ankle ligaments playing football in training.
Though he is yet to play a Test match, Foakes has long been regarded as the best pure keeper in county cricket, and toured Australia and New Zealand last winter with England, again as Bairstow’s back-up.
The re-emergence of England’s white-ball keeper Jos Buttler as a Test batsman this summer had pushed Foakes down to third in line to take the gloves, but with Bairstow’s participation in the series in doubt, Foakes has once again been called up.
If Bairstow is unable to play the most likely course of action is still that Buttler will keep wicket, as he did against India in the summmer, when a fractured finger forced Bairstow to play purely as a batsman.
Bairstow played the first three ODIs against Sri Lanka, but injured his ankle in training playing football. Originally thought to be a minor injury, it appears to be more serious than first feared. Bairstow has been England’s first-choice Test keeper since the start of 2016, though some have advocated him giving up the gloves to allow him to move up the batting order.
Foakes’ prowess with the gloves may be unmatched by any Englishman, but he is no slouch with the bat either. He averages over 40 in first-class cricket, and won the County Championship this season with Surrey.
He also has prior experience of Sri Lanka, having spent a winter playing for Colts Cricket Club. England have further keeping options in the squad, with Ollie Pope and Rory Burns, Foakes’ Surrey team-mates, each having taken the gloves for their county at one time or another.
The series begins on 6 November at Galle.
