Foakes’, a wicketkeeper-batsman whose primary skill is wicketkeeping, shot into the limelight when he was included in England's 2017/18 Ashes squad tour party as Bairstow’s deputy with the gloves. Alec Stewart, Foakes' coach at Surrey, a county which incidentally fields 5 other wicketkeepers, hailed him as the world’s best wicketkeeper. The legend of Foakes continued to grow, and despite going Testless in the Ashes, he continues to knock on doors with his performances in case Bairstow and Buttler aren’t available.
In the age of negligence towards wicketkeeping, Foakes appears to be a natural talent with the mitts first and batting second. Foakes is one such youngster who emerged as a promising prospect at Essex. His talent was spotted at an early age and he was slated to play for England but due to the competition posed by Foster, he was forced to move to Surrey in 2014, where his wicketkeeping talents were once again exhibited and the full extent of his talents were utilized.
