Ben Foakes embraces wicketkeeping’s ‘hardest problem’ on Indian pitches
It feels a little bit of a missed alternative to have the second of a five-Test sequence happen within the ‘City of Destiny’. Perhaps latest historical past was thought of when sorting the order of the off-broadway venues chosen for this India-England sequence. Only the video games up entrance are assured to be dwell.
But as each groups arrived in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday afternoon, a powerful whiff of destiny lingered within the Bay. This time subsequent week, it could possibly be all sq., or – get this – England could possibly be heading into their mid-series break in Abu Dhabi 2-0 up. Only these inside the touring celebration believed this was a chance once they arrived in India.
The ACA-VDCA Stadium has solely hosted two previous Tests matches – beginning with England’s go to in November 2016 – which have each performed about the identical: initially good for batting, earlier than the spin turns up from day three onwards. Not in contrast to the floor rolled out at Hyderabad.
There is a suspicion, borne out of previous expertise, that Friday’s pitch could also be extra excessive. Those who toured India in 2021 recall all too nicely the three chastening losses that adopted their opening victory in Chennai. “All three were probably the worst pitches I’ve batted on,” recalled Ben Foakes, who got here into the facet within the second Test of that sequence.
Some of those that skilled that tour have labelled it the worst of their lives, as a lot due to limitations on motion within the Covid-19 period because the unforgiving, embarrassing method of the defeats. It is a far cry from the free-spirited ambiance underneath Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum. And so, too, is England’s mindset to deal with no matter India may need up their sleeve this week.
“Going into that, I was thinking, ‘These are horrific wickets – I just need to find a way to stay in’,” Foakes mentioned. “I think now the group is more, if that’s the situation, you’ve got to be positive; got to put it [pressure] back on the bowler and put them under pressure.
“Before, there was extra of a concern of getting out and that put us in our shells. Whereas now it isn’t worrying that you’re getting out and accepting that you simply most likely are on these form of surfaces. But how will you truly go and dominate at instances as nicely?”
Ollie Pope was the poster-boy of that approach in Hyderabad with his second-innings 196, and not for the first time, Foakes was a vital accessory. A watchful 34 from 81 balls offered Pope support in a stand of 112, which took England into the lead. It was the fifth time in the Bazball era Foakes has featured in a century stand for the sixth wicket – all in victories.
“I normally get about 25 of them,” he joked when asked about the role he assumes in such partnerships. “At Surrey, I bat at No. 5, so I simply bat and that is actually a great scenario for me, whereas enjoying for England, batting decrease down, I’d say my sport is best suited to when a batter stays in.
“The thing I’ve tried to develop when I go in is if we lose a couple of wickets, to expand early. But I think generally, throughout my career, when there’s been those kind of situations where you have to grind in is when I’ve been most successful. That’s where I need to keep improving, so it fits quite nicely into my game.”
That grind, whereas welcome in these conditions, in the end caused Foakes’ axing for the Ashes final summer season, when Jonny Bairstow took the gloves after recovering from harm. The sense of disappointment was all too acquainted for Foakes, even when he has change into used to intermittent runs within the England facet since successful the primary of his 21 caps in Sri Lanka in 2018.
“I obviously found it difficult,” he mentioned. “I think with my career in England being in and out a lot, it wasn’t as if I was shocked or anything like that. For me, I find it difficult to crack on with what I’m doing.
“Obviously you undergo just a few feelings. One time I used to be at Lord’s ready to bat [for Surrey] and Jonny took one on the finger. I used to be panicking, trying on the telly pondering, ‘shit, I’ve obtained to bat right here!’ It’s extra that form of factor. I attempt to hold a transparent mindset when there’s a lot happening. It was clearly an unbelievable sequence to look at and I simply loved it from the couch.”
But this should be a rare clear streak for Foakes. He was picked for this tour with a view to playing on pitches that demand immaculate keeping. Harry Brook’s return home for personal reasons made his route back into the XI a little easier, with Bairstow told to focus solely on batting at No. 5.
It took until the dying embers of the first Test for Foakes to get on the scorecard, effecting the stumpings of R Ashwin and Mohammed Siraj off Tom Hartley. He had one blemish in the match, an early half-chance off KL Rahul during India’s first innings off Joe Root’s bowling, but stressed the importance of staying level in Indian conditions.
“The extra excessive the situations you recognize issues are often going to incorrect so that you simply should mentally sturdy sufficient to place it out of your thoughts,” he said. “There is an efficient likelihood the following one goes to be a troublesome one.
“You’re in the game, so it’s nice as a keeper. It’s obviously a very hard place to keep, and you’re aware of that. You’re going to have some tough moments or a tough day. But you’d rather be in the game than watching the ball do nothing in front of you.
“In situations like this, it is about making an attempt to assume in your toes and be taught as a result of it isn’t pure situations [for me]. I’ve clearly saved away quite a bit and saved to spinners, however I discover that Indian pitches, with the variable bounce, are up there with the toughest.”
Vithushan Ehantharajah is an affiliate editor at ESPNcricinfo