Ashes 2023: Get Ben Foakes in as quickly as possible – Kevin Pietersen suggests changes to England’s playing XI

Former England swashbuckling batter Kevin Pietersen has suggested the hosts to get Ben Foakes in as quickly as possible for the upcoming second Ashes Test match against Australia. England played Jonny Bairstow ahead of Foakes in the opening Test match at Edgbaston, which the home team lost by two wickets.

While Jonny Bairstow scored a run-a-ball 78 runs in the first innings and added a crucial alliance with Joe Root, he missed crucial chances in the first dig, which went on to cost England.

In fact, England bungled as many as six chances throughout the course of the match, including a missed stumping from Jonny Bairstow.

Meanwhile, England opener Ben Duckett didn’t have a great Test match as he returned with scores of 12 and 19. Pietersen said he will keep Jonny Bairstow purely as a batter and will make him bat in the top order. The former attacking right-hander feels England will continue to play in an aggressive manner.

Kevin Pietersen said as quoted by India Today, “I don’t think the England team is going to change, that’s not what McCullum and Stokes do, but I would get Foakes in if they’re going to play on flat wickets. I would get him in as quickly as possible.”

“Bairstow has to bat, of course, but I’d drop Duckett and have Bairstow at the top of the order, or just move everybody up one spot and play Foakes as the keeper. That’s what I would do.”

“I don’t think anything changes, though. They back their players, and I actually like the fact that they back the players that much and don’t worry about what we in the media say,” said Pietersen.

There is no doubt that England will once again come out firing in the second Test match and they will look to draw level in the series. England had announced their playing XI for the opening Test match two days prior to the game but they haven’t done the same for the second Test.

The second Ashes Test will be played at Lord’s, from June 28 onwards.