Former England batter Mark Butcher feels that veteran wicketkeeper-batter Ben Foakes might miss out on the playing XI yet again when England will tour India for a five-match Test series. However, Foakes was controversially dropped from the playing XI during the Ashes series to make way for both in-form middle-order batters, Jonny Bairstow and Harry Brook.
Foakes had shown his disappointment at having missed out on the iconic series, especially after he was referred to as the ‘best wicketkeeper in the world’ by his skipper as well. Meanwhile, Foakes was part of the England side that toured India and lost by a 3-1 margin in 2021 where he scored 78 runs in six innings at an average of 15.60.
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“I don’t see how they can play him, as much as I think he should be in the side. I do not see how they can get him in and play a balanced attack with five bowlers that includes two spin bowlers, three seamers and have enough batting. I just can’t see how they do it, I’m afraid,” Mark Butcher said on Wisden Cricket Weekly Podcast.”I can’t see England wanting to go in with five specialist batters, Foakes at six, and then five bowlers after that because they haven’t got the all-rounders out there, so honestly I don’t see how they get him in,” Butcher added.
However, Ben Foakes had scored a century on debut and scored 277 runs in the three-match series in Sri Lanka as well. Moreover, with the subcontinent conditions, England will only be able to play with two pacers and two spinners in the playing XI, leaving Joe Root as the third spin-bowling option as well.
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“Without seeing the surfaces it’s difficult to say [if England will feel the need to pick five bowlers] but a balanced attack in turning conditions is that, isn’t it? Unless you feel your slow bowlers are good enough to only play two seamers and two spinners and that be it. But I don’t feel our spinners are good enough to do that, and England’s strength wherever they travel has always been their seam bowling, so you’d want at least three seamers in that team,” Mark Butcher said.
