Former Australia wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist has lauded England's Ben Foakes as the best wicket-keeper to spin bowling he has ever seen. Foakes has showcased exceptional form behind the stumps during England's ongoing Test series against India, being involved in 11 dismissals so far. In the first Test in Hyderabad, the 31-year-old stumped two players, followed by six catches in the Vizag Test and three more in Rajkot.
Speaking on the Club Prairie Fire Podcast Gilchrist expressed admiration for Foakes, highlighting his prowess in keeping against spin bowling. Foakes has amassed a total of 66 catches and eight stumpings for England across 22 Test matches. Gilchrist emphasized Foakes' extraordinary skills, particularly praising a stunning catch he took to dismiss Shreyas Iyer in Vizag, where he grabbed the ball from an under-edge to provide a crucial breakthrough.
“Ben Foakes is the best wicket-keeper to spin-bowling I have ever seen. Again, I have not seen enough of him standing back to the stumps because for some reason, they don't want to play him if there's not going to be a lot of spin,” said Gilchrist.
Gilchrist further commended Foakes' consistency, remarking on his ability to handle under-edges off spin bowlers with finesse. Despite Foakes' stellar performance behind the stumps, his batting performance in the ongoing Test series against India has been modest, managing just 80 runs across four innings, with a top-score of 36 in England's second innings in Hyderabad.
England secured a 28-run victory over India in the first Test of the series, propelled by a remarkable century from Ollie Pope. However, the hosts retaliated with a 106-run win in the second Test in Vizag, leveling the series at 1-1. With the series poised evenly, England aims to achieve a significant milestone by becoming the first team in 11 years to defeat India in a Test series on Indian soil. The last team to accomplish this feat was Alastair Cook's England side in the 2012/13 season.
