Essex seamer Sam Cook has earned a maiden England call up, joining county team-mate Jordan Cox as the only uncapped players in a 13-strong squad for the one-off Test against Zimbabwe.
Cook’s call up is reward for years of consistent performances on the county circuit for a number of years, averaging 19.77 with the ball.
National selector Luke Wright said of the 27-year-old’s call-up: “He’s done really well and he’s kept knocking the door down. I’m delighted for him that he’s going to get an opportunity.
“Speak to any top-order batters around country cricket especially, he’s the one everyone fears the most.”
Cook joins Gus Atkinson, Matthew Potts and Josh Tongue as the seam options available to captain Ben Stokes at Trent Bridge from May 22, with Stokes himself fit to feature after having surgery on the hamstring he tore in the third Test of England’s series win in New Zealand in December.
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England’s Test captain Ben Stokes showcased his fitness in an Instagram video, highlighting a big step in his recovery from a hamstring injury, sustained last December
“He’s going to be fine to play a full role in that Test match – which is great news for us,” Wright said of Stokes.
“Obviously, we’re going to have to make sure he doesn’t do too much, maybe restrict his number of overs just to be careful with him coming back. But he’ll be at full pace.
“He’s feeling really good and is ready and raring to go, and is excited about getting stuck in.”
Nottinghamshire fast bowler Tongue is in line to play his first Test in two years after injuries stalled a promising start to his England career which included a five-for on debut against Ireland and five more wickets across the second Ashes Test against Australia at Lord’s in 2023.
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Watch Josh Tongue’s five-wicket haul on Test debut against Ireland at Lord’s in 2023
Shoaib Bashir has once again been picked as England’s front-line spinner over county team-mate Jack Leach, whose continued selection for Somerset has seen Bashir moved out on loan to Glamorgan. where he has taken two wickets through his first three matches of the season.
Wicketkeeper-batter Cox returns to the fold having been selected in prior squads for Sri Lanka and tours of Pakistan and New Zealand. A broken finger robbed him of a Test debut during the latter where it had been indicated he would deputise for Jamie Smith while on paternity leave.
Despite his recall, he is likely to play understudy again to the returning Smith unless there is a late injury to a top-order batter.
Jordan Cox is back in the England Test squad after a broken finger robbed him of a possible debut on the tour of New Zealand
Jacob Bethell (IPL duty) and Brydon Carse (toe injury) are absent from the XI that played in England’s last Test in New Zealand in December, a 423-run defeat in Hamilton, with Ollie Pope expected to return to No 3 in Bethell’s absence.
England squad for one-off Test vs Zimbabwe: Ben Stokes (capt, Durham), Gus Atkinson (Surrey), Shoaib Bashir (Somerset), Harry Brook (Yorkshire), Sam Cook (Essex), Jordan Cox (Essex), Zak Crawley (Kent), Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire), Ollie Pope (Surrey), Matthew Potts (Durham), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Jamie Smith (Surrey), Josh Tongue (Nottinghamshire).
Wright: We back Crawley to the hilt
Zak Crawley retains his spot despite a torrid tour of New Zealand in which the opener averaged just 8.66, with a top-score of 21 in six innings and four single-digit dismissals.
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Mark Wood gave his backing to out-of-form Zak Crawley to keep his spot at the top of the order in the England Test team
Sussex’s Tom Haines and Durham’s Ben McKinney were possible alternatives at the top of the order that were overlooked, as were former Test openers Alex Lees, Haseeb Hameed, Keaton Jennings and Dom Sibley.
“We back him to the hilt,” Wright said of Crawley. “I think you’ve got to back people when they’ve scored the amount of runs he has against top international teams – against India and Australia.
“We all know that opening the batting in international cricket is incredibly tough. There’s not too many people who thrive the whole way – there’s always going to be dips in form.
“You want to be loyal to people who have performed well on that stage. He’s as good as anyone on his day, when he’s playing well.
“I’m sure he’s disappointed by his last six months, but that doesn’t mean that he can’t have a great summer. We want to back him and let’s hope it works.”
Cook ‘deserves’ England Test call up
Injured England fast bowler Mark Wood, speaking on the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast, said Cook was deserving of a maiden Test call up.
“I think [Cook] probably deserves a chance at some point,” Wood said. “I like him a lot.
“He’s backed up all these numbers in county cricket and, especially in England, it could be the time to see can he step up to this level? I’m sure that he can.
“He bowls very stump-to-stump and batters away at that length where he’s constantly asking you a question.
“He’s relentless at grinding people down and getting them to make a mistake. You’ve just got to ask someone like Joe Root, who will use his crease and walk at people, and he’s struggled against Cook.”
Watch England’s one-off, four-day Test against Zimbabwe, live on Sky Sports Cricket from 10am (11am first ball) on Thursday May 22.
England men’s Test matches this summer ☀️
All games at 11am UK and Ireland; all live on Sky Sports
vs Zimbabwe: Thursday May 22-Sunday May 25 – Trent Bridgevs India: Friday June 20-Tuesday June 24 – Headingleyvs India: Wednesday July 2-Sunday July 6 – Edgbastonvs India: Thursday July 10-Monday July 14 – Lord’svs India: Wednesday July 23-Sunday July 27 – Emirates Old Traffordvs India: Thursday July 31-Monday August 4 – The Kia Oval
Ashes series in Australia 2025-26 🏏
All times UK and Ireland
First Test: Friday November 21-Tuesday November 25 (2.30am) – Optus Stadium, PerthSecond Test: Thursday December 4-Monday December 8 (4.30am) – The Gabba, BrisbaneThird Test: Wednesday December 17-Sunday December 21 (12am) – Adelaide OvalFourth Test: Thursday December 25-Monday December 29 (11.30pm) – Melbourne Cricket GroundFifth Test: Sunday January 4-Thursday January 8 (11.30pm) – Sydney Cricket Ground
