Zakary Glen Foulkes (commonly listed as Zak Foulkes) is one of New Zealand’s most talked-about young fast-bowling all-rounders after a breakout run in domestic and international cricket during 2024–25. This profile explains who he is, summarises verified career highlights and recent performances, and explains why Indian cricket followers should take note — with sources you can check.
Who is Zakary Foulkes? (quick facts)
- Full name: Zakary Glen Foulkes.
- Born: 5 June 2002, Christchurch, Canterbury (New Zealand).
- Role: Bowling all-rounder — right-arm medium pace, right-hand bat.
- Domestic teams: Canterbury (New Zealand), Canterbury Country, and had short stints in English county cricket (Warwickshire / Durham).
These biographical details and player role are recorded in standard cricket databases and his player
Career arc: domestic rise → international breakthrough
Foulkes progressed through Canterbury age-group and Hawke Cup cricket before making his professional debuts:
- List A debut: February 2022 (Ford Trophy).
- First-class debut: March 2022 (Plunket Shield).
- T20 / Super Smash: Debut in January 2023; was among Canterbury’s leading wicket-takers in the Super Smash season.
- County stints: Played T20/short spells in England (Warwickshire, Durham) in 2024–25 to broaden experience.
Selectors rewarded his domestic promise with national call-ups across formats in 2024–25, culminating in Test selection in 2025.
Notable recent performances (verified)
- Test debut impact (Aug 2025): On Test debut in Zimbabwe, Foulkes produced a spectacular bowling return — taking nine wickets in the match including a five-wicket haul — reported as the best figures by a New Zealander on Test debut. That performance immediately placed him in international headlines.
- White-ball contributions: He has also featured in New Zealand white-ball sides (T20Is and ODIs) since 2024, showing promise as a death-overs bowling option and a handy lower-order batter in domestic T20s. Local coverage in New Zealand media has praised his calmness under pressure and death-bowling skill.
Match reports and statistics for these performances are available on mainstream cricket portals and in contemporary match coverage.
Where he bowls, how he plays — style & strengths
- Bowling: Right-arm medium-fast with tidy seam movement, disciplined yorkers at the death, and an ability to extract bounce on helpful surfaces. Coaches have highlighted his control and tactical sense as strengths.
- Batting: Lower-order bat who can rotate strike and play useful cameos — effective in the slog overs and domestic lower-order rescue situations.
- Fielding & temperament: Described in profiles as athletic and level-headed — traits valuable in international white-ball and Test environments.
Why Indian fans should care
- Test and white-ball matchups matter: India tours and global tournaments often bring teams like New Zealand up against Indian conditions or Indian opposition. A new fast-bowling all-rounder who bowls well at the death adds tactical nuance to squad selection and match planning.
- Comparative talent pipeline: India’s domestic circuit produces many late bloomers and seam options; tracking global contemporaries like Foulkes helps fans and analysts compare development pathways and skill sets.
- Franchise cricket relevance: As a multi-format performer, Foulkes is potential IPL interest fodder (if he keeps producing in white-ball cricket). Indian franchise audiences track young overseas pace all-rounders closely for auction value and match impact.
Credible sources & where to follow updates
- ESPNcricinfo — player profile, stats and match commentary.
- Cricbuzz — profile and domestic/international summaries.
- Local New Zealand outlets (NZ Herald, The News Mill) — feature pieces and match previews/analyses.
- Match reports & global outlets (Times of India / Reuters / RFI) — day-by-day Test coverage and scorecards when New Zealand play series that interest Indian viewers.
Caveats — statistics update in real time
Cricket stats and caps update with every match. The figures cited here (debuts, standout performances) are drawn from publicly updated profiles and match reports; readers should consult live scorecards (ESPNcricinfo / Cricbuzz) during ongoing series for the latest numbers.
Zakary (Zak) Foulkes is a fast-bowling all-rounder whose rapid rise — from Canterbury cricket to Test impact in 2025 — makes him an interesting talent for cricket followers worldwide. For Indian audiences, he represents the kind of pace option and late-over specialist who can change white-ball matches and, potentially, Test sessions. Watching his development provides useful context for comparisons with India’s own seam prospects and for franchise scouting ahead of future auctions.