"Don't think this is the end of Ben Foakes," says England managing director of cricket Rob Key

England on Tuesday announced their squad for the Test against Ireland which will be played from June 1 at the Lord's in England.

Key said that the Surrey player needs a "few days" to come to terms with this decision.

"Brendon (McCullum) was the one who spoke to him (Foakes), he wanted to do that, and he was pretty upset about the fact he lost his place," said Key as quoted by Sky Sports.

"He wants a few days to get his head around it and I think there will be a time we see Ben Foakes again. You never know what will happen in Test cricket, especially the Ashes series, the sub-continent and places like that."

"I certainly do not think this is the end for Ben Foakes. He has been an excellent player for us and a big part of our success, but so too has Jonny. The way he played has epitomised everything we are about," Key concluded his point.

Foakes was a key member of England's squad that won six of seven Tests last summer and maintained his form over the winter, taking six catches and scoring a half-century in the series against New Zealand after missing the first Test due to illness.

Under the Ben Stokes-Brendon McCullum leadership, Foakes scored 428 runs in nine Tests across 14 innings at an average of 38.90, with a century and three fifties.

On the other hand, Bairstow had been in career-best form up until his accident on a golf course in September last year, with the veteran having hit six centuries for his country and played a major role in England's renaissance under new coach Brendon McCullum. In 10 Test matches last year, he scored 1,061 runs at an average of 66.31, with six centuries and a fifty. His best score last year was 162.

Foakes lost his place in the team due to its decision to have Bairstow keep wickets and bat at number seven. Key admitted that no way could be found to add Foakes to the squad.

"It is something we agonised over for quite some time because you have just got two very good cricketers. Ben Foakes has done absolutely everything that has been asked of him but then you have Jonny Bairstow, who was probably one of the best batsmen in the world last year. So it is then how do you try and fit them both in if you could and we could not find a way to do that. Jonny will probably come in at No 7 and then it looks like a very good team. As hard as it is on Ben, it is a very, very good side with Jonny in," said Key.

Ben Stokes will lead the 15-man squad with right-hand batter Ollie Pope named as the vice-captain.

England's squad has gained strength with the return of wicketkeeper-batter Jonny Bairstow, who was out of action since August last year after a golf accident left him with a broken left leg and dislocated ankle.

Jofra Archer will be another notable absentee after being ruled out for the remaining summer with a recurring stress fracture to his right elbow.

Making a return are fast bowlers Mark Wood and Chris Woakes, the latter coming back to the Test squad for the first time since March 2022. If selected in playing 11, it will be his first Test on home soil in the last two years.

It will only be the second Test between the two nations and will be a four-day affair. Interestingly, the first one, played in 2019 was also a four-day affair, which England won by 143 runs.

With the home Ashes against Australia beginning on June 16, England will be looking forward to getting some game time before facing their arch-rivals.

Squad: Ben Stokes (c), James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood. (ANI)