Former England wicketkeeper Alec Stewart made a massive claim ahead of the third IND vs ENG Test. He believes that Ben Foakes is a better keeper than MS Dhoni because the England star has the quickest hands in the World.
England keeper Ben Foakes has been nothing short of exceptional behind the stumps in the ongoing IND vs ENG series. The right-hander has displayed a staggering piece of keeping and hasn’t let anything pass through him behind the stumps.
On the turning tracks, where the ball is not easy to gather, Ben Foakes has looked home behind the stumps. The keeper-batter has been lightning-quick behind the stumps and has made some stellar dismissals. He has taken six catches and has done two stumpings so far in challenging conditions in Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam.
Ben Foakes has drawn a lot of praise for his keeping skills in the IND vs ENG. He has made many stands and applaud him for his heroics. What has been the main highlight of his keeping so far has been the low grabs that he has taken in the series.
Impressed by his keeping technique in the IND vs ENG game, Alec Stewart lavished rich praise on Ben Foakes. He said that his hand speed is second to none and is even faster than the great MS Dhoni. Speaking to The Times, he explained:
“MS Dhoni had quick hands but Foakes has the quickest hands in the game and the ball stays in them. He does things that no one else can do. His hand speed is second to none.
“He’s got massive natural talent but his work ethic, and attention to detail, are as good as I’ve come across both when I played and since I’ve been in this role [Director of Surrey cricket club]. He leaves no stone unturned. He works on specifics and the quality of the work is impressive.”
IND vs ENG: England predicted XI for the third Test against India
England will be without the services of Jack Leach for the remainder of the IND vs ENG series. He has been ruled out of the series. Ben Foakes is also expected to retain his place in the team despite having a torrid run with the bat.
With Rajkot surface offering pace, it is expected that England might go with two pacers. Here’s the England predicted XI for the third IND vs ENG Test:
Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes (captain), Ben Foakes (wk), Shoaib Bashir, Tom Hartley, James Anderson, Ollie Robinson