Ben Foakes reflects on batting performance, role in England’s test series defeat

Following a disappointing performance in the recently concluded five-match Test series, England wicketkeeper-batter Ben Foakes spoke on Sunday about his performance, saying that he did a decent job with the gloves.
Foakes has played 25 Tests in his England career so far, where he has played solely at No. 7 or 8, and has repeatedly struggled to adjust to batting with tailenders. He scored 205 runs in 10 innings during their recent 4-1 series defeat in India, with a high score of 47, and his career average fell below 30.
The 31-year-old asserted that he liked the role of batting lower down with the tail.
“I felt like I kept pretty well; my keeping felt good. To start off, I didn’t feel amazing with the bat and then, yeah, disappointed in a couple of innings that I didn’t kick on. Again, that role of batting lower down, batting with the tail– the more I do it, the more I look at it as: ‘How many times can I impact [the game]?” Foakes said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
Foakes further stated that he is still evolving and trying to learn how to manage with the tail when the team’s top and middle orders collapse.
“Because in some series you might not get an opportunity to go big, for example, so it is very crucial when you do get a chance to try and really kick on, so I was disappointed in the fourth Test [in Ranchi] where I could have kicked on and didn’t. I felt alright with the bat. I’m still evolving and trying to learn [how to bat] with the tail and how to manage those sorts of situations,” the wicketkeeper added.
In the end, Foakes said that he prefers batting up the order, but when you are playing for a team like England, it will not always happen.
“Naturally, batting higher up is preferable for me. Obviously, when you play for England, that will not always happen and it is understandable. But it naturally suits my game more to be higher. Over the period of time I’ve played for Surrey, there are not that many instances where you come in, face five or 10 balls, and you’re batting with the lower order when you have to play a different game,” the English player concluded.
Earlier in February this year, when both sides met each other in a five-match Test series, England lost their fourth consecutive game, unable to capitalise on their early 1-0 advantage following a narrow victory in Hyderabad. The visitors had their chances, notably in Rajkot and Ranchi, but India came back strong on both occasions to win.
India defeated England by 4-1 in the five-match Test series. In the fifth and final match, the hosts sealed a massive win by an innings and 64 runs over the English side. (ANI)