Sam Cook, who has taken over 300 wickets in a nine-year first-class career, has finally been called up to England’s Test squad. The 27-year-old Essex seamer has been included in the team for the one-off Test against Zimbabwe.
Cook’s Essex teammate Jordan Cox has also received a call-up, while Josh Tongue returns to the Test side nearly two years after his last appearance.
England are currently dealing with a long list of injured fast bowlers—Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Brydon Carse, and Olly Stone are all sidelined. Jofra Archer, too, remains unavailable for red-ball cricket.
Cook is now on the verge of a potential Test debut at Trent Bridge. Just last month, playing for Essex at this very ground in the County Championship, he claimed four wickets in an innings and five in the match.
So far, he has played 88 first-class matches and taken 318 wickets at an average of 19.77. He has claimed five wickets in an innings 14 times and taken 10 wickets in a match on four occasions.
Josh Tongue, also 27, is back in the squad for the first time since playing two Tests at Lord’s in June–July 2023.
The 13-man squad announced on Friday includes just two other specialist pacers—Gus Atkinson, who has played 11 Tests, and Matthew Potts, with 10 Test appearances to his name.
Ben Stokes will lead the side as usual. The 33-year-old all-rounder is set to return from a foot injury sustained in a Test against New Zealand last December.
Jordan Cox, whose Test debut was delayed due to a finger injury during the New Zealand series, remains in the squad. The Essex wicketkeeper-batter is still awaiting his first Test appearance.
Off-spinner Shoaib Bashir is the only specialist spinner named in the squad.
This will be Zimbabwe’s first Test match on English soil since 2003. The match begins on May 22.
Last month, Zimbabwe toured Bangladesh for two Tests — winning in Sylhet before losing by an innings in Chittagong.
England Test Squad
Ben Stokes (captain), Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Sam Cook, Jordan Cox, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue.
