Former England batter Mark Butcher doesn’t see the Ben Stokes-led team play Ben Foakes in the upcoming five-match Test series against India. While Foakes has impressed with his wicket-keeping skills, he has only scored 934 runs in 19 Test matches at an average of 33.36.

Jonny Bairstow is expected to keep wickets whereas Butcher feels Foakes should be in the playing XI but he is not sure how England can fit him in the playing XI.

“I don’t see how they can play him, as much as I think he should be in the side,” Butcher said while speaking on the Wisden Cricket Weekly podcast.

Foakes was part of the 2021 tour to India and had impressed with his glovework but he could only manage 78 runs in three Test matches at a paltry average of 15.60. Butcher reckons Ollie Pope will not be able to make the cut into the playing XI.

“I do not see how they can get him in and play a balanced attack with five bowlers that includes two spin bowlers, three seamers and have enough batting. I just can’t see how they do it, I’m afraid. Ollie Pope might not play anyway. England’s No.3 up until the shoulder injury might not get into the side anyhow. Stokes will bat at five or six. I can’t see England wanting to go in with five specialist batters, Foakes at six, and then five bowlers after that because they haven’t got the all-rounders out there, so honestly I don’t see how they get him in.

The first Test match between India and England will be played at Hyderabad from January 25 onwards.

England squad: Ben Stokes (captain), Rehan Ahmed, James Anderson, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow (wicketkeeper), Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ben Foakes, Tom Hartley, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Mark Wood.