New Delhi May 2
England have named their Test squad for the upcoming one-off match against Zimbabwe later this month, according to the ICC official website.
Skipper Ben Stokes has been confirmed to take charge of the red-ball lineup, having made his recovery from a left hamstring tear injury.
Stokes last played during the three-match series against New Zealand as part of the 2023-25 ICC World Test Championship cycle.
Two uncapped Test cricketers, Sam Cook and Jordan Cox, who both represent Essex in the County Championship, are among other notable inclusions in the 13-member squad.
Right-arm pacer Sam Cook has been rewarded for his consistent performances at the domestic level. He has fetched 318 first-class wickets, averaging an impressive 19.77.
Cook also stood out with the ball for the England Lions on their tour of Australia earlier this year, snapping 13 wickets from three matches.
Twenty-four-year-old Jordan Cox, on the other hand, has been among the top run-scorers at the County Championship this season, amassing 918 runs from 11 matches that include four centuries and two half-centuries.
Also making a return in the Test setup is wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith, who had opted out of England's tour of New Zealand for the birth of his first child.
Pacer Josh Tongue is also set for a return to the red-ball setup, having last featured in the Ashes Down Under in 2023.
England are gearing up for a much-anticipated home summer on the back of a dismal ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign that saw white-ball skipper Jos Buttler step down from his role.
Harry Brook has since taken over as his successor in ODI and T20I.
Ben Stokes and co. will kickstart the home summer with the one-off Test at Trent Bridge starting May 22. Later, they will square off against India in a five-match series starting in June that will mark the beginning of the next ICC World Test Championship cycle.
Meanwhile, the white-ball team will play against the West Indies, South Africa, and Ireland throughout the English summer.
England squad: Ben Stokes (captain), Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Sam Cook, Jordan Cox, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Good to see Stokes back in action! His leadership will be crucial before the big India series. But England should be careful - Zimbabwe can surprise you on their day. Remember 1999 World Cup? 😅 Hope our boys are watching their preparations closely!
Exciting to see new talents like Sam Cook getting a chance. England's domestic system keeps producing quality players while we struggle to find consistent pacers beyond Bumrah and Shami. Maybe our selectors should take notes!
Why is England playing Zimbabwe in Tests when they could have scheduled more matches against stronger opponents? Seems like an easy warm-up before our series. Hope BCCI prepares our team well - England at home is always tough!
Stokes' fitness is key for England. As an all-rounder, he brings so much balance to the team. Hope he stays fit for the India series - we want to see a proper contest between two full-strength teams! 🤞
Interesting squad selection. England seems to be building for the future while we keep going back to experienced players. Both approaches have merits, but I wish our selectors would take more chances on young talents like they're doing with Cook and Cox.
The real test begins in June against India! This Zimbabwe match is just a formality. Our batsmen need to prepare well for English conditions - last time we struggled against the moving ball. Hope the team gets proper practice matches this time.
Here are 6 diverse Indian perspective comments for the England-Zimbabwe Test match article: We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.