Ben Foakes is poised for a Test debut tomorrow against Sri Lanka as England pick their third wicketkeeper in three matches.

Foakes, described a year ago by Alec Stewart as the world’s best wicketkeeper, only arrived in Sri Lanka last week as cover for Jonny Bairstow when he injured his ankle in a football kickabout.

When Bairstow missed the fourth Test against India in September with a broken finger, Jos Buttler kept wicket instead but now Foakes is in line for a first cap, the first England debutant behind the stumps since Buttler in 2014. Bairstow resumed wicketkeeping duties at the Oval for the final Test of the summer and was in line to keep the gloves this winter ahead of Buttler until he was injured in Kandy.

Foakes is the best wicketkeeper in the squad and with so much time spent in this series standing up to the stumps, England believe they cannot afford any missed edges or stumpings.

Both Foakes and Buttler worked with wicketkeeping coach Bruce French on Sunday. But today, the eve of the series, Buttler was confined to normal fielding drills while Foakes donned the gloves to work with French.