Jordan Cox and Sonny Baker will make their England debuts in the second Test match against New Zealand on Wednesday at the Oval.
Just over a week after winning the opening Test at Lord’s, England selectors have had to make a number of changes.
After breaking the team’s midnight curfew to celebrate the Lord’s triumph, captain Ben Stokes and fast bowler Gus Atkinson were excluded from the England squad. Due to a knee injury, pace bowler Ollie Robinson, who claimed seven wickets at Lord’s, has pulled out.
Cox was drafted in for Stokes after scoring 204 for Essex in his first County Championship match in 11 months.
Alongside Jofra Archer, who was unable to play in the first Test because of his Indian Premier League obligations with the Rajasthan Royals, Baker supports the pace attack.
Spinner Shoaib Bashir withdrew, and fast bowler Matthew Fisher was added for his second Test appearance—his first in over four years.
More than four years after Stokes took over as captain, Joe Root will lead England. Instead of vice-captain Harry Brook, Root was given the go-ahead to temporarily replace Stokes.
Before a one-day international match against New Zealand in October, Brook got into a fight outside a Wellington nightclub.
“It became pretty obvious that after talking to both Joe and Harry, that Joe was the right person to do it. He’s actually excited, because while he gave it everything he could last time around, he feels he’s in a much better place now to be able to do that job.
“There’s been a few changes. Whilst there’s been a bit of chaos and it’s been difficult to navigate through the week, I look at that line-up we have this week and it’s super exciting. I’m quietly confident we’re going to see some exciting cricket,” England head coach Brendon McCullum was quoted as saying by AFP.
England: Ben Duckett, Emilio Gay, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root (captain), Harry Brook, Jamie Smith, Jordan Cox, Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue, Matthew Fisher, Sonny Baker
