Sam Billings to replace Ben Foakes after England wicketkeeper tests positive for Covid

Foakes had been unable to keep wicket on Saturday, the third day of the Test, after suffering from back stiffness. He subsequently tested positive for Covid

England wicketkeeper Ben Foakes has tested positive for Covid, with Sam Billings to replace him as a like-for-like replacement when the fourth day of the Test against New Zealand gets underway.

Foakes had been unable to keep wicket on Saturday, the third day of the Test, after suffering from back stiffness. He subsequently tested positive for Covid.

Billings made his Test debut for England in the final match of the winter's Ashes series, travelling across Australia after Jos Buttler suffered a series-ending finger injury. The Kent captain will slot into England's team subject to ICC approval and will keep wicket; Jonny Bairstow filled in behind the stumps on Saturday.

Covid substitutes were introduced in June 2020, with Benjamin Lister the first such replacement in world cricket, filling in for Mark Chapman during a Plunket Shield fixture in New Zealand. Earlier this year, South Africa fielded two replacements in a Test against Bangladesh.

^{Billings made his Test debut in Hobart (Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)}

Since the beginning of the England-New Zealand series, both sides have had to deal with several Covid cases. England are without batting coach Marcus Trescothick at Headingley, while Kane Williamson missed the second Test; Devon Conway and Michael Bracewell were among those to test positive between the second and third Tests.

England have confirmed that they are hopeful of Foakes returning to fitness in time for the one-off Test against India, beginning next Friday, at Edgbaston. India themselves have their captain, Rohit Sharma, in isolation after testing positive on Saturday.

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