.svg){kind=small}
In a fitting conclusion to the Ashes 2023, the winnings were split evenly between the two teams. England came back strongly after Australia won the first two Tests, and now the five-match series is tied at two wins apiece. The home team won the third Test after they had dropped the first two by razor-thin margins.
England nearly won in Manchester, too, but the weather intervened. Next, the home team won at The Oval to prevent Australia from claiming the series. Ben Foakes, however, was benched in favour of Jonny Bairstow and sent to the stands for the duration of the series. This choice sparked heated debate, as many cricket experts believed Foakes was the best wicketkeeper in the country.
Ben Foakes was overlooked for a spot in either of the Ashes Tests due to the strength of England's lower-middle order, which features players like Harry Brook, Ben Stokes, and Jonny Bairstow. Despite the Bradford-born cricketer's lacklustre efforts behind the wickets in the first two Tests, the cricketing world was eager to make a compelling case for the 30-year-old. But the team's leadership was unwavering in their decision to back Bairstow every time.
Captain Stokes once called Ben Foakes the "best keeper in the world," but now Foakes focuses on the domestic season with Surrey. He showed off his batting chops by reaching a century in Surrey's recent One-Day Cup loss by five wickets to Leicestershire. Further demonstrating his cricketing prowess, he has shown off his batting skills in the County Championship.
What is Ben Foakes’ latest news? This was not the first time that Bairstow replaced Surrey's wicketkeeper on the English team. His first Test appearance occurred in Sri Lanka during the 2018–19 season, where he scored a hundred and was awarded the series' most valuable player.
However, when he got back, Bairstow took his place. This trend continued into the current season, with Foakes being left out of the starting 11 again despite having travelled with the team to Pakistan and New Zealand earlier in the year.
It's the proper approach. The constant shuffling of the deck chairs under the past administrations ensured that no one ever played their best cricket.
Do you know about Ben Foakes’ news? Foakes has repeatedly stressed that he doesn't feel bad about not making the Ashes team. He didn't describe his emotions as "furious" but rather "gutted."
“The players who made the cut have also performed admirably. There is no malice intended, merely an unusual state of mind. My career has been all over the place, from performing to being dropped to where it started. It's a case of natural selection; people were given a choice. Whatever the outcome, I can see why they made that choice. Not mad at me! I feel like crap. What matters is how you choose to react,” said Foakes.
The cricketer from Colchester went on, "It's thrown me in the past, and maybe this time it's thrown me the most because I was doing well."
After being left out, Ben Foakes said sitting through the five-game series was tough. Bairstow had an important series despite his glove miscues. His catching improved as the series continued, and he allowed 322 runs (including three 50s) in nine innings.
FAQs
Will Ben Foakes be participating in the Ashes?
After England and Australia drew the Ashes series at two games apiece, Ben Foakes was benched in favour of the returning Jonny Bairstow.
In Ashes 2023, Bairstow has dropped how many catches?
Jonny Bairstow has dropped five balls and missed a stumping out of a possible six in Ashes 2023.
Is Ben Foakes a bowler?
Ben Foakes is a right-handed batsman and wicket-keeper, and his primary skill is wicketkeeping.
