Ben Foakes is the best wicketkeeper in the world: Ben Stokes

England Test skipper Ben Stokes has hailed wicketkeeper-batter Ben Foakes and has labeled him as the ‘best wicketkeeper in the world’. It must be noted that the right-handed player batted excellently and took some good catches behind the wicket during the first Test match between England and New Zealand at Lord’s.

The right-handed batter was involved in a match-winning partnership with former England skipper Joe Root as he scored an unbeaten 32 runs during the second innings of the match. Foakes had to face some disciplined bowling from the Kiwi pacers, but the wicketkeeper-batter showed an excellent display of batting and ensured that his side wins the match in the end.

Ben Foakes behind the stumps gives me a lot of confidence: Ben Stokes

“We’re not in the position to not select world-class players at the moment. Ben (Foakes) is the best wicketkeeper in the world. That’s not just my own opinion, that’s a lot of people’s opinions. Batting at seven, which he does for England, is different from the role that he plays for Surrey because he bats higher up,” Stokes was quoted as saying by mirror.co.uk.

“But that situation of going in last night, for 45 minutes, was a very, very big part of the game, and he handled it very, very well. The way he kept — he took some catches which he made look very easy but they weren’t. To have a gloveman like Ben (Foakes) behind the stumps gives me a lot of confidence, and it gives the bowlers a lot of confidence, knowing that nine times out of 10, he’s going to take everything that comes to him,” Stokes added.

The 29-year-old wicketkeeper has played a total of 12 Test matches and has scored 545 runs with one hundred to his name. Meanwhile, England will take on New Zealand in the second Test match slated to start at Trent Bridge, Nottingham on June 10 (Friday).