Ben Foakes injury: Why is Jonny Bairstow keeping wickets in ENG vs NZ 3rd Test Day 3 at Headingley?

Jonny Bairstow keeping wickets: The English batter is doubling as a wicket-keeper after scoring a mammoth Test century.

During the third day of the third Test of the ongoing New Zealand’s tour of England in Leeds, England have scored 360/10 in 67 overs to put on display a praiseworthy recovery after being reduced to 55/6 at one point in time yesterday.

A 31-run first innings lead over the Kiwis wouldn’t have been possible without a game-changing 241-run seventh-wicket partnership between batter Jonny Bairstow (162) and debutant pacer Jamie Overton (97). Bairstow’s 10th Test century and Overton’s maiden Test half-century powered them to register the highest seventh-wicket partnership for an English pair.

Resuming from their overnight score of 264/6, England scored 96 runs in the morning session today. New Zealand fast bowler Trent Boult, who had forced a batting collapse on Day 2, was the pick of their bowlers with bowling figures of 22-4-104-4 in the first innings.

Why is Jonny Bairstow keeping wickets on Day 3 at Headingley?

Bairstow, who has been on the field for pretty much the whole Test match now, is doubling up as a wicket-keeper in the second innings. While there has been no official statement from the team management till now, it is learnt that England wicket-keeper batter Ben Foakes has complaint of a stiff back.

As a result, Bairstow has been asked to substitute for Foakes behind the wickets. Currently playing his 86th Test match, it is noteworthy that Bairstow has played 49 Tests between 2013-2021 as a specialist wicket-keeper batter.

With England not having another specialist wicket-keeper batter in their squad, they would be hoping for Foakes’ injury to not be very serious for they are to play another Test against India from July 1.

UPDATE: Foakes has left for the team hotel and won’t be taking any further part in the match on today.