England's Ben Foakes 'bit lost' after Ashes Test squad snub

In the recently concluded Ashes 2023, England managed to level the score 2-2 against Australia with a fantastic win in the last Test. A notable event involved the exclusion of Ben Foakes in favour of Jonny Bairstow's return after a prolonged injury.

As far as Bairstow's batting performance, it was commendable, but his wicket-keeping skills came under scrutiny due to a few dropped chances during the series.

A wicketkeeper of high reputation globally, Ben Foakes accepted his omission from the Ashes squad with grace and without animosity towards the selected players. 

In an interview with Telegraph Sport, Foakes shared his sentiments, stating, "You feel a bit lost, You get to exactly where you want to be, your career path is going a certain way, and then it takes a halt and goes a completely different direction".

Before being dropped, Foakes had displayed signs of consistency, despite facing intermittent opportunities in the England Test setup since his debut in 2018. Out of the 20 Tests he played, ten were since the beginning of 2022. During this period, he scored 400 runs at an average of 33.33 and showcased excellent wicket-keeping skills as well, with 37 catches and a stumping.

Foakes scored a fifty and a century in the three Tests leading up to his exclusion, often excelling in challenging situations while batting with the tail. Despite his impressive performances with the bat and behind the stumps, being dropped left him feeling lost and uncertain about his future.

"It's a bit of a sinking feeling because you don't really know what to do because you can't tell yourself you didn't do well," expressed Foakes, reflecting on his emotions after the unexpected exclusion.

However, the lack of consistent consideration for the England Test team might prompt Foakes to enhance his white-ball performance in the future. He explained,

"If I fully invest in red ball and you don't get in the team, you are left in the lurch a bit, So I will probably use that period later this year to try to whack it."