SeamUp
International Coach
There won't be Richie Ryall & James Foster types again you would think. Ben Foakes maybe but he isn't bad at all with the bat.That was a trend I noticed a while ago, and I do wonder if young batsmen are being encouraged to give the gloves a go so that they've got another string to their bow to potentially aid their selection. They don't necessarily have to be a full-time keeper, but being able to keep in an emergency just might get them the nod over someone who can't keep at all.
It can make selection a bit trickier though. Ideally you'd want the best keeper to be selected but if someone's got quite as good a keeper but is a better batsman then would the gains in potential runs scored make up for being poorer behind the stumps?
Just think unless you make a number of obvious errors you can get by as a keeper now if you making decent runs.
Only have to see now in SA20 with guys like Stubbs, Ferreira & Breetzke keeping that T20 is opening up people's ideas to take the risk.