Ben Foakes Ruled Out Of The Series, Sam Billings, Haseeb Hameed Included In England Squad For Tests Against New Zealand

England will take on New Zealand in a series of two Tests in June and coach Chris Silverwood revealed that wicketkeeper Ben Foakes has been ruled out of the series due to an injury. Therefore, the home side has called up Sam Billings and Haseeb Hameed was added to the squad.

England will face New Zealand at Lord’s on June 2 and the second Test match will be played at Edgbaston from June 10-14. This second Test will see crowds attending the matches accommodating 18,000 people each day, 70% of stadium capacity. This will be a pilot event within the second phase of the government’s world-leading Events Research Program.

Each individual ticket holder must present a negative COVID-19 result from an NHS Rapid Lateral Flow Test, completed within 24 hours in advance of the day, on which they are attending the match and give consent to participate in the program.

Ben Foakes Expected To Be Out For Three Months: England And Wales Cricket Board (ECB)

As England prepared for the New Zealand Tests, Ben Foakes, who kept brilliantly in the three Tests on their recent tour of India and also impressed with the bat, has been ruled out of the series due to tearing his left hamstring.

Foakes, who was selected in the England men’s squad earlier this month, was set to play his first Test in home conditions at Lord’s, but he sustained the injury on Sunday slipping in the dressing room after Surrey’s County Championship fixture against Middlesex at the Kia Oval.

“He will now be assessed and work closely on his rehabilitation with the Surrey medical team and is expected to be out of action for at least three months,” the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said in an official statement.

In Ben Foakes’ place, England has called up Sam Billings, who is yet to play a Test but is an established member of the white-ball team. Also earning a recall to the England Test team was opener Haseeb Hameed.

He last played Test cricket in November 2016. His three Test caps came against India during England’s winter tour of 2016. However, he has been in impressive form during the 2021 county season, has scored 474 runs at an average of 52.66.

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