But Foster was thought by England to be the future 12 months ago. And, although not every observer agreed, he did well enough in India and New Zealand for the selectors to give him a summer contract back in April.
The youngster would have lined up against Sri Lanka for the first Test of the season at Lord's if Essex team-mate Andy Clarke had not hit him on the forearm during a net session in Chelmsford.
As it was, England went back to Stewart - whose absence, by choice, from last winter's tour of India had presented Foster with his chance - and their apparently ageless former captain steadily reestablished himself. Any possibility of a selection dilemma ended once Stewart scored a century in the final Test against Sri Lanka at Old Trafford. In the event, the summer's second series - with India - was just a day old when Foster suffered another unlucky break.
Playing only his second comeback Championship match, he was hit on the left thumb while trying to take a delivery from medium-pacer John Stephenson.
Foster admitted: "It was a huge setback for me, especially coming so soon after I'd broken my arm." There is still time, though, for him to get in good shape before the Ashes tourists depart around the middle of next month.
He is due to make his second Championship comeback of the summer this week and, regardless of how that goes, should benefit hugely, longer term, from working with Stewart in Australia.
Quite often, a player's reputation is somehow enhanced when he's out of action. It's as though people forget the errors and remember only the good points.
The reverse process seems to have applied during Foster's absence. But it is worth remembering, for example, he kept wicket almost faultlessly and batted with no little skill and great determination throughout the Second and Third Tests in India. Another player England were pleased with last winter was spinner Richard Dawson.
He, too, has had a difficult summer, though for form rather than fitness reasons, but is now bowling well again for Yorkshire and looks worthy of perseverance.
With the Academy based at Adelaide, England will have a crop of their most talented youngsters within easy range should they need to top up the Ashes squad at any time.
Lancashire's decidedly quick and highly-regarded 20-year-old fast bowler James Anderson should be one of those up-and-comers in Australia.
But if Glamorgan's Simon Jones does not recover from a side injury that has dogged him since his promising Test debut against India at Lord's, then Anderson could miss out the 'finishing school' and go straight to work for Hussain.
Former England fast bowler Bob Willis is among those singing Anderson's praises while Somerset coach Kevin Shine reckons the youngster is "gold dust" after seeing him rip through his county by taking nine wickets in a match at Blackpool last month.
Probable squad: M Trescothick, M Vaughan, M Butcher, N Hussain (capt), G Thorpe, A Stewart (wkt), J Crawley, A Flintoff, J Foster (wkt), A Giles, R Dawson, A Caddick, A Tudor, M Hoggard, S Harmison, S Jones, D Gough.
