England lose unfortunate Foakes, Billings and Hameed added to Test squad

Ben Foakes was set to play his first Test on home soil, but the Surrey wicketkeeper has now been ruled for at least three months.

 
 

England wicketkeeper Ben Foakes has been ruled out of the upcoming Test series with New Zealand after suffering a freak injury.

Foakes slipped in the dressing room after Surrey's County Championship match against Middlesex on Sunday and tore his left hamstring.

He was seemingly set to make his first Test appearance on home soil at Lord's next month after fellow wicketkeepers Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow were both rested following their involvement in the Indian Premier League.

However, Foakes is expected to miss at least three months while he recuperates, meaning Gloucestershire's James Bracey is now in line to make his Test debut.

Sam Billings and Haseeb Hameed have been added to England's squad for the two-match series with New Zealand, which begins on June 2.

Kent captain Billings is drafted in as wicketkeeping cover, while opening batsman Hameed ? who has 474 runs at an average of 52.66 for Nottinghamshire in the 2021 season so far ? is recalled, having not featured for England since November 2016.

Unlike Buttler and Bairstow, Billings ? a regular in white-ball squads ? has played for his county since returning from IPL duty.

Chris Woakes, Sam Curran and Moeen Ali are the others to have been rested for the series, while Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer are ruled out through injury.