Three Lions name their squad to begin the English Summer
The England Cricket Board (ECB) recently named their Test squad to take on New Zealand in two games, starting on the 2nd of June 2021. The hosts will be looking to win their first Test series against the Kiwis since 2013, when they won 2-0 at home. Since then, they drew 1-1 in 2015 at home and lost 1-0 in both 2018 & 2019 away from home. This time, England’s Test squad will be hoping to put one past the Kiwis.
England’s Test squad in full
According to the ECB website, this is the full squad that has been named:
Joe Root (Yorkshire) (C), James Anderson (Lancashire), James Bracey (Gloucestershire), Rory Burns (Surrey), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Zak Crawley (Kent), Ollie Pope (Surrey), Dan Lawrence (Essex), Jack Leach (Somerset), Craig Overton (Somerset), Ben Foakes (Surrey), Ollie Robinson (Sussex), Dom Sibley (Warwickshire), Olly Stone (Warwickshire), Mark Wood (Durham)
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New caps
James Bracey
James Bracey was part of England’s intra-squad games last summer and with both Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow out, he will likely battle it out with Ben Foakes to don the gloves for this Test series. He has scored nearly 500 runs this County season, with one century and four half-centuries.
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Ollie Robinson
Ollie Robinson was always likely to be a part of England’s Test squad in the upcoming future and with Jofra Archer out, it seems as if the time is right for him. He has been prolific in County Cricket for a number of years now and will finally get his chance it seems. This County season he has taken 29 wickets at a bowling average of 15.
Notable Omissions
Ben Stokes
Ben Stokes fractured his finger during the IPL and has recovered pretty much but will be rested due to the big upcoming home summer for England as well as the World T20 and the Ashes Down Under in 2021/22.
Jofra Archer
Jofra Archer had an elbow injury recently and hence has not been considered for selection. Similarly to Stokes, he is crucial part of England’s plans in all three formats of the game and cannot be risked.
Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Chris Woakes and Sam Curran.
These five played right throughout the Indian Premier League and hence have been given a rest and a chance to meet up with their families, following a lengthy quarantine period, since the postponement of the tournament. Like Stokes and Archer, they are multi-format players and will likely be needed in abundance throughout the summer.
The debate between Jos Buttler and Ben Foakes
Likely Test XI
England’s Test squad: Rory Burns, Dom Sibley, Zak Crawley, Joe Root (C), Ollie Pope, Ben Foakes/ James Bracey (WK), Chris Woakes, Stuart Broad, Jack Leach, Ollie Robinson/Olly Stone/Mark Wood, Jimmy Anderson
Vaccinations are being handed out rapidly, especially in the New Zealand camp, with Neil Wagner having already had his.
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