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Ben Foakes (Cricketer) Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 5, 2026 • 3 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth15 February 1993

BirthplaceColchester, Essex, England

ProfessionCricketer (Batsman/Wicket-keeper)

NationalityEnglish

Marital statusUnmarried

FamilyFather: Peter Foakes (d.2006); Mother: Fi Foakes; Brother: Matt Foakes

Ben Foakes (Cricketer) Biography

Ben Foakes is an English wicketkeeper-batsman who made a memorable Test debut for England in November 2018. A product of Colchester, Essex, he has played a

Early life and background

Benjamin Thomas Foakes was born on 15 February 1993 in Colchester, Essex, England. Raised in a sports-focused household, his father worked as a referee in English football and encouraged Foakes’ early interest in sport. He attended Tendring Technology College in Essex and later graduated from further study. His family includes his mother, Fi Foakes, who has worked at Essex County Cricket Club, and a brother, Matt Foakes. His father, Peter Foakes, died in 2006.

Physical profile and interests

Foakes is a tall, right-handed cricketer listed at about 1.85 m (6'1") and roughly 80 kg (176 lbs). He has blue eyes and brown hair. Outside cricket he enjoys watching NFL and travelling. He has a tattoo on his left wrist marking his father’s date of death.

Career

Foakes began his professional career with Essex, making his domestic debut in 2011 at age 17 in a match against Sri Lanka. He was England’s leading run-scorer at the 2012 Under-19 World Cup, and continued to develop as a wicketkeeper-batsman in the English domestic game. Frustration with limited opportunities at Essex led him to move to Surrey, where he established himself more prominently as both a batsman and a keeper.

His performances at county level brought him into England squads. He was named in England’s Test squad for the 2017–18 Ashes series and later joined the senior Test side on tour to Sri Lanka. Foakes made his Test debut for England on 6 November 2018 in Galle, stepping in for the injured Jonny Bairstow. He scored a century on debut, becoming one of a small group of wicketkeeper-batsmen to achieve that feat for England and marking a standout personal milestone early in his international career.

Playing style and influences

A right-handed batter who keeps wicket, Foakes lists the pull shot among his preferred scoring options. His coaching mentors have included Bruce French and Alec Stewart, and he has cited Kumar Sangakkara as a mentor figure. He has also named James Foster as a favourite cricketer.

Domestic affiliations and numbers

Across his domestic career he has been associated with clubs including Colts Cricket Club, England Lions, Essex and Surrey. He has worn domestic jersey numbers including 4 and 7.

Public profile

Foakes keeps a relatively private personal life. He is unmarried. He has spoken publicly about family influences on his sporting life and maintains ties to his roots in Colchester. His favourite football club is Fulham FC and his favourite band is The Script. He is a non-vegetarian and is known to drink alcohol.

Records and turning points

A defining moment in Foakes’ career came in 2018 when he replaced an injured colleague in the England Test side and made an immediate impact with a century on debut in Sri Lanka. That innings placed him among a select number of players to score a Test hundred on debut for England and marked a key turning point in his international trajectory.

Latest updates

As of his Test debut in November 2018, Foakes had not played ODI or T20 internationals for England. He continued to be recognized for his wicketkeeping and batting contributions in county cricket and for England Lions appearances.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is written from publicly available career and profile information, then reviewed for clarity before publication. If you spot an outdated detail about Ben Foakes (Cricketer), send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded
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Recent Work

Test debut for England

Made Test debut and scored a century against Sri Lanka in Galle

2018
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Career Highlights

  1. Made Test debut for England on 6 November 2018 in Galle
  2. Scored a century on Test debut
  3. Leading run-scorer for England at the 2012 Under-19 World Cup
  4. Played domestically for Essex and Surrey
Reviewed by F4U Editorial Desk

F4U profile pages are prepared from public career information, checked for readability, and updated when reliable correction sources are shared with the editorial team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Ben Foakes (Cricketer) born?

Ben Foakes (Cricketer) was born on 15 February 1993.

What is Ben Foakes (Cricketer) known for?

Ben Foakes (Cricketer) is known for cricketer (Batsman/Wicket-keeper).

What is Ben Foakes (Cricketer)’s marital status?

Ben Foakes (Cricketer)'s marital status is listed as Unmarried.