Foakes watched the Ashes from the sidelines as he had to make way for Bairstow, who was returning from a long-term injury. Though Bairstow justified his selection with the bat, he was guilty of dropping several chances which brought his wicket-keeping under the scanner multiple times during
Foakes was a key member of England's squad that won six of seven Tests last summer and maintained his form over the winter, taking six catches and scoring a half-century in the series against New Zealand after missing the first Test due to illness. Under the Ben Stokes-Brendon McCullum leade