Who is Ben Foakes? Know About His Relationships, Family, Career, Stats and More

Ben Foakes is a talented wicketkeeper-batsman. He was born on February 15, 1993, in Colchester, Essex. A lesser-known fact is that Foakes' father, Peter Foakes, was a professional football referee in the Premier League. Despite debuting for England in 2018 with a century against Sri Lanka in Galle, making him only the fifth Englishman to score a hundred on Test debut overseas, he spent much of his early international career in the shadows of other English wicket-keepers.

Yet his first-class career statistics speak volumes about his skill, with over 7,000 runs at an average above 40 and more than 300 dismissals. Perhaps even more impressively, Foakes’ career catch-to-stumping ratio stands among the best in English county history.

Ben Foakes Biography

Benjamin Thomas Foakes was born on 15 February 1993 in Colchester, Essex, and is a professional English cricketer best known for his role as a specialist wicket-keeper–batsman. He is one of the most technically sound and reliable keepers in modern cricket. Educated at Tendring Technology College in Essex, he began his professional journey with Essex before moving to Surrey in 2015. Representing England primarily in Test cricket, Foakes made a dream Test debut against Sri Lanka on November 6, 2018, scoring a century in Galle.

His ODI and T20I debuts followed in quick succession in May 2019, against Ireland and Pakistan, respectively. Former England captain Alec Stewart famously hailed him as the best wicketkeeper in the world. As of 2025, he represented England in Test cricket and plays domestically for Surrey, with previous stints for Essex, England Lions, MCC, and other sides. Ben Foakes net worth is estimated to be around $2M to $5M.

Ben Foakes Religion & Caste

Ben Foakes has kept most of his personal life fairly private, and that includes his religious views, but it is assumed that he follows Christianity. He was born and raised in Essex, England, where caste isn’t a factor, unlike in South Asian countries.

Ben Foakes Family

Ben Foakes comes from a close-knit family with deep ties to sport. His late father, Peter Foakes, was a well-known Premier League football referee. Sadly, Peter passed away in 2006 when Ben was just 13. To this day, Ben carries a tattoo on his wrist with the date of his father's death, 18.09.06, as a tribute to the man who first introduced him to sport. His mother, Fiona Foakes, works with young cricketers at Essex County Cricket Club. Ben also has an older brother, Matt. The two played together at their local club, Frinton-on-Sea. Matt himself was a talented cricketer and played at club level.

Ben Foakes Father

Ben Foakes' father, Peter, carved out a respected career as a football referee, becoming one of the first referees to take charge of matches when the Premier League was formed in 1992. He refereed 21 Premier League games and handled high-pressure fixtures. Peter was a schoolteacher by profession. Tragically, Peter passed away from a heart attack in 2006 when Ben was just 13.

Ben Foakes Mother

Fiona Foakes is a former PE teacher by profession. She has worked with Essex County Cricket Club, where she used to mentor academy players. She helped them manage school pressures, career choices, and the emotional ups and downs that come with trying to make it in sport. When Ben scored a century on his Test debut for England in Sri Lanka in 2018, she described herself as a “bumbling wreck” while booking a flight to get to him.

Ben Foakes Brother

Matt Foakes is the brother of Ben. The two brothers spent hours together at Frinton-on-Sea Cricket Club, where Matt was already playing. Matt played competitively for clubs like Bowdon and Frinton-on-Sea.

Ben Foakes Sister

Ben Foakes doesn't have any sisters; his only sibling is his elder brother Matt.

Ben Foakes Instagram

Ben Foakes hasn't created his official Instagram account yet. We will provide an update as soon as he creates an Instagram account. Although there are a few fan pages with his name.

Ben Foakes Twitter

On X [formerly Twitter], Ben Foakes does not have an official account. He has decided to stay off all social media platforms and hasn't created any such account.

Ben Foakes Facebook

On Facebook, the English batter has not created an account. We will provide an update when he decides to create a Facebook account.

Ben Foakes Jersey Number

Ben Foakes used to wear the jersey number 50 while playing in international cricket for England. In domestic cricket, the story’s a bit different; Foakes has worn both number 4 and 7, depending on the competitions.

Ben Foakes Relationship

Ben Foakes has kept most of his personal life out of the spotlight, but it’s known that he’s been in a steady relationship with Lynsey Wilson for several years. Lynsey, originally from Scotland, is a psychology professional who now works in London as a Director of Client Services at a matchmaking and relationship consultancy. The couple are believed to have been together for over five years, although they’ve kept the details of how they met or when their relationship began quite private.

Ben Foakes Girlfriend

Ben Foakes girlfriend is Lynsey Wilson, a Scottish-born professional. The couple have reportedly been in a committed relationship for several years. Lynsey has a background in psychology, holding a master’s degree from the University of Aberdeen, and she now works in London as a director at a relationship consultancy. They’ve been together for over five years, though they’ve never been much vocal about it.

Ben Foakes Net Worth & Salary

Ben Foakes net worth is estimated to be somewhere between $2 million and $5 million. These figures take into account his earnings from representing England, his county contract with Surrey, match fees, and possible endorsement deals. He hasn't featured in franchise leagues like the IPL, which is the richest cricket league in the world.

Ben Foakes Career

Ben Foakes career started after coming through the Essex ranks and moving to Surrey in 2015 for more opportunities behind the stumps. His big break came in November 2018, when he was called up for England’s tour of Sri Lanka after Jonny Bairstow suffered an injury. He scored an impressive 107 on debut in Galle, becoming just the fifth Englishman to score a Test century on debut overseas. His glove work throughout that series on spinning subcontinental tracks was widely praised. In May 2019, he made his ODI debut against Ireland, where he guided a shaky England chase with an unbeaten 61, picking up the Player of the Match award.

Often, he got sidelined for more aggressive batters like Jonny Bairstow and Jos Buttler, but whenever handed the gloves, he’s rarely put a foot wrong. One of his standout Test performances came in August 2022 at Old Trafford, where he struck an unbeaten 113 against South Africa, anchoring England’s innings under pressure and sharing a game-changing partnership with Ben Stokes. While his role has often been reduced to a specialist keeper, his first-class batting record tells a fuller story, with over 9,000 runs at an average of around 38, and multiple County Championship titles with Surrey.

International Career

Ben Foakes had a decent international career, especially in Test cricket, where he’s played 25 matches and batted 46 times. He’s scored just over 1,100 runs at an average of 29.2, with two centuries and four fifties to his name, the highest being a 113 not out. Behind the stumps, he’s been dependable too, with nearly 70 catches and 10 stumpings. Though he’s had fewer chances in limited-overs cricket, he made an impression in his only ODI by scoring an unbeaten 61, while also being effective with the gloves. His single T20I appearance didn’t see him bat.

Vitality Blast Career

Ben Foakes has made his mark in the Vitality Blast, playing 74 matches for Essex and Surrey. Over 50 innings, he’s scored 835 runs, with a top score of 75 not out. His average of 21.4 isn't that impressive, but it’s important to remember that he usually bats lower down the order, often coming in at tricky moments. He has batted with a strike rate of 124 and managed four fifties. And of course, his wicketkeeping is considered to be the best in the circuit with 37 catches and 10 stumpings.

Ben Foakes Awards & Achievements

Back in 2012, Ben Foakes made his mark by finishing as England’s top run-scorer at the Under‑19 World Cup. His Test debut in November 2018 couldn’t have gone much better; he scored a brilliant 107, becoming just the second England wicketkeeper to make a century on debut. A few days later, he carried that form into the ODI arena with an unbeaten 61 on debut, earning Player of the Match. That same year, he was named Man of the Series in England’s Test win over Sri Lanka.

In 2023, he received one of the game’s top honours when Wisden named him one of their Five Cricketers of the Year. He continued ticking off milestones in 2024 by becoming only the 12th England wicketkeeper to reach 1,000 Test runs.