England will hand Test debuts to Jordan Cox and Sonny Baker in the second Test against New Zealand at The Oval on Wednesday, as they reshuffle the side following a series of changes. Matthew Fisher is set to earn his second cap, more than four years after his first, while Jofra Archer returns after missing the first match of the series.
Changes to the winning side
Despite winning the first Test at Lord's, England have made several alterations. Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson were left out after breaking a team curfew while celebrating the victory. Ollie Robinson has been ruled out with a knee injury, and Shoaib Bashir has been dropped to allow for a four-seamer attack. Joe Root will captain the side in Stokes's absence, having been appointed interim captain over vice-captain Harry Brook.
Root's return to captaincy
Root, who stepped down as captain in 2022, takes the helm again. Coach Brendon McCullum revealed that Brook acknowledged Root was the right choice, saying Brook is "not the finished product as a leader yet." McCullum added that Root is in a better place now to lead, and will lean on Brook's tactical acumen.
Debutants and returns
Jordan Cox was originally set to debut in the 2024 series against New Zealand but broke his thumb in the nets. He missed the first Test due to IPL commitments but scored 204 for Essex in a County Championship match last week. Sonny Baker, a fast bowler, also earns his first cap. A third debut is possible if James Rew replaces Jamie Smith, who may miss the match due to the imminent birth of his second child.
- England XI: Ben Duckett, Emilio Gay, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root (capt), Harry Brook, Jamie Smith (wk)*, Jordan Cox, Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue, Matthew Fisher, Sonny Baker.
- *James Rew on standby for Smith.
McCullum expressed excitement about the pace attack, saying, "Two years ago when Stuart Broad and James Anderson had moved on, we knew we wanted to build a battery of fast bowlers. I look at that line-up we have this week and it's super exciting."
