He brings good attributes.
New Zealand pacer Zakary Foulkes has been one of the most skilled pacers in the circuit, with encouraging attributes. He started his Test and T20I career on a high note, showing his superior wicket-taking ability, and has begun his ODI career in the same vein. In his first bowling innings, he ran through England’s batting unit, which was clearly unprepared in helpful conditions.
Foulkes dismissed all big batters – Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Jacob Bethell, and Sam Curran – to leave England reeling in the first ODI in Mount Maunganui. He was accurate with the new ball and hardly gave breathing space in seaming conditions. His attributes are too good to ignore, and IPL teams can look to target him, given that he still has age on his side and will only improve from here on.
We look at three teams that could target Zakary Foulkes in the IPL 2026 auction.
Delhi Capitals (DC) will likely release pacers like Dushmantha Chameera, Mohit Sharma, and T Natarajan on the IPL 2026 retention deadline. Even Mitchell Starc and Mukesh Kumar can be inaccurate at times, leaving the pace attack vulnerable. So, DC can opt for a few fresh names to replace these experienced players, and Zakary Foulkes can be one of them.
Foulkes can generate some new-ball movement upfront and partner with Starc in the powerplay. Additionally, he can give an over each in the middle and death overs. That will allow DC to use the other two pacers more optimally and make the pace attack flexible and formidable.
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Rajasthan Royals (RR) have a few quality bowling options in the lineup, but they still looked short on resources last season. They had several underfiring pacers, such as Fazalhaq Farooqi and Tushar Deshpande, who might be released ahead of the next season. That will open the door for other pacers, and RR can opt to invest in Foulkes.
His natural lengths might be suited for home games in Jaipur, while his old-ball value will also be high here. He can act as their powerplay specialist, which will ease the load on Jofra Archer. Even if he doesn’t play, Foulkes can be part of RR’s long-term investment, for they are known for grooming young talent.
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) were light on pace-bowling resources, at least in the overseas department. As they prepare for a fresh season, LSG might release Shamar Joseph to accommodate better options in the lineup. That’s where Zakary Foulkes can come in; he fits in their player-acquisition policy because they often invest in raw potential.
LSG don’t have many quality pace bowlers, and surely not in the overseas section, and Foulkes can do a few roles for the franchise. He can give three overs consistently upfront, which would allow them to use Avesh Khan as an enforcer. The surfaces in Lucknow have become quick lately, and the Kiwi speedster can run through a few lineups with the new ball.
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