England Test captain, Ben Stokes, has confirmed that Ben Foakes will take on the wicketkeeping duties in the first Test of the upcoming five-match series, commencing on January 25 in Hyderabad. Consequently, Jonny Bairstow will assume the role of a specialist batter after Harry Brook left the tour due to personal reasons.
Foakes’s last appearance for the national team was during their tour of New Zealand in February 2023. He has an average of 32.20 from 20 matches, including two centuries. Despite being excluded from the side for last summer’s Ashes as Bairstow returned from injury, Foakes now has the opportunity to contribute to the team in the absence of Brook. Stokes has full confidence in Foakes’s ability to succeed in Indian conditions.
“He can not only do things other ‘keepers can’t, but he also makes them look incredibly easy. He is a very special talent behind there and having someone like that who can maybe take a 2%, 3% chance, that could be massive in the series,” Stokes told the UK press in Hyderabad.
To secure a historic series victory, England must win in as many Test matches in India as the rest of the Test playing nations have achieved over the past 11 years – three in total.
Regarding the challenging task of winning Test matches in India, Stokes said: “This is the hardest place to come and win a game, let alone a series. And that’s the exciting thing for us as a group, is that we have got an amazing opportunity in front of us to do something.”
Stokes refrained from revealing the bowling combinations for the first Test, indicating a preference to assess the pitch conditions before finalising the eleven.
“We didn’t come here with preconceived ideas about what we will do with the first team. In India you do like to have a good look at the pitch to see how it might play.”
Uncapped off-spinner Shoaib Bashir has been ruled out of the first Test due to visa issues, as he had to return to the UK to resolve the matter. Stokes expressed his frustration with the situation but he remains focused on the upcoming series, acknowledging the unpredictability that comes with international cricket.
“Him (Bashir) not being able to be here rules him out,” Stokes confirmed on Tuesday. “As captain, I find it particularly frustrating. We announced the squad in mid-December, and now Bash finds himself without a visa to get here. I am more frustrated for him. I didn’t want this type of situation to be his first experience of what it’s like to be in the England Test team. I feel for him.”
Having secured 13 victories in 18 matches as captain, Stokes has already achieved excellent success. From the outset, he has emphasised his commitment to an attacking style of cricket that prioritises entertainment over results. This mindset will face a significant challenge against the formidable Indian spin attack.