England will hand debuts to batter Jordan Cox and fast bowler Sonny Baker in the second Test against New Zealand – with another potential first-capper in James Rew on standby to keep wicket.
A week of disruption has forced a major reshuffle to the England side, with captain Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson dropped from the squad amid an investigation to their breach of curfew following victory at Lord’s.
Joe Root has been installed as a temporary skipper in the absence of Stokes, while seam bowler Ollie Robinson was ruled out of the Test at the Oval on Sunday night after suffering a knee injury.
To add to the conundrums for head coach Brendon McCullum to deal with, Jamie Smith’s second child is due this week, although the Surrey wicketkeeper is set to feature at his home county ground.
Cox has got the nod ahead of Rew and will add extra batting depth at No 7, with the Somerset left-hander in line to take the gloves should Smith be unable to play.
England, meanwhile, have omitted a specialist spinner to name a four-pronged seam attack. Jofra Archer returns having missed the first Test and is joined by fellow quick Baker, in impressive form for Hampshire this season.
There is also a return for Surrey’s Matt Fisher, in line for his first appearance at international level in more than four years since making his Test debut in the West Indies in March 2022. McCullum is excited to see his seamers go to work.
“Two years ago, when Stuart Broad and James Anderson had moved on, we knew we wanted to build a battery of fast bowlers and were going to have to build a battery of fast bowlers,” he said. “I look at that bowling line-up we have this week and it is super exciting.
“If Sonny is able to get some early success, I think the crowd is going to get behind him, I think the country is going to get behind him. He’s a little bit like Mark Wood – he’s got good air speed, he swings the ball, he’s got great skills, but he charges in and has got wild celebrations. You can just see that cricket is what he wants to do. He is very well prepared and well planned, which fits in with what we are trying to do with this team now. May the cricketing gods shine on him.”
Cox had been due to make his England debut in New Zealand late in 2024 while Smith was on paternity leave, but was denied the opportunity after suffering a cruelly-timed broken thumb in the nets.
Having been called up to the Test squad last week, the versatile Essex batter pressed his case with a sublime double hundred made at quicker than a run-a-ball against Leicestershire, and has got the nod.
“James Rew was obviously our back-up batter in the squad, but that was very much to cover that kind-of top six role,” McCullum explained. “Having to make some changes, Jordan Cox was obviously over at the IPL and we wanted to see him come back and see what he could do before thrusting him into that role. He scored a double hundred, which is a pretty compelling case.
“We think his power and his rounded game is a good fit at No 7. We still see James Rew as an exciting option for us, and he may even get a nod this week, too.”
England XI for second Test against New Zealand (17-22 June, The Oval): Ben Duckett, Emilio Gay, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root (capt.), Harry Brook, Jamie Smith (wk), Jordan Cox, Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue, Matt Fisher, Sonny Baker.
