James Rew steps in for the injured Jordan Cox, bringing his strong County Championship form to the England squad for the upcoming Zimbabwe test
Uncapped Somerset batter James Rew has been called up to replace the injured Jordan Cox in England’s squad for the one-off Test against Zimbabwe, scheduled for later this month. The 21-year-old, who has been in excellent form in the County Championship, boasts an impressive average of 54.21, including a top score of 152.
Rew was a key member of the England Under-19 squad that reached the 2022 World Cup final and toured Australia with the England Lions last winter. His call-up marks a significant milestone in his career, with Rew joining the squad for a training camp ahead of the Test, which will be held at Trent Bridge on 22 May.
Cox, 24, had been poised to make his Test debut after impressive County Championship performances this season, including centuries against Nottinghamshire, Surrey, and Somerset. However, his hopes were dashed when he sustained an injury while scoring a century in Essex’s loss to Somerset. The injury is a cruel blow for Cox, who had previously been forced to miss a potential debut last November due to a thumb injury.
Embed from Getty ImagesWhile Cox was initially included as a spare batter, Rew now looks set to make his first Test appearance. The Zimbabwe Test marks a rare fixture, as Zimbabwe has not played a Test in the UK since 2003, a series that saw the debut of England’s all-time leading wicket-taker, James Anderson.
With a busy summer ahead, England will also face India in a five-Test series starting 20 June at Headingley.
England’s squad for the Zimbabwe Test is as follows:
- Ben Stokes (Durham) – Captain
- Gus Atkinson (Surrey)
- Shoaib Bashir (Somerset)
- Harry Brook (Yorkshire)
- Sam Cook (Essex)
- Zak Crawley (Kent)
- Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire)
- Ollie Pope (Surrey)
- Matthew Potts (Durham)
- James Rew (Somerset)
- Joe Root (Yorkshire)
- Jamie Smith (Surrey)
Josh Tongue (Nottinghamshire)
