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LONDON. —Somerset’s James Rew has earned a maiden England Test call-up after Jordan Cox was ruled out of this month’s one-off match against Zimbabwe.
Cox was forced to retire hurt with an abdominal injury after scoring a century for Essex in their most recent County Championship match against Somerset.
Named in England’s initial 13-player squad, the 24-year-old has now been ruled out and replaced by Rew for the upcoming Zimbabwe Test at Trent Bridge from May 22-25, live on Sky Sports.
Cox was also denied a Test debut on the three-Test tour of New Zealand over the winter after breaking his thumb in the nets when poised to deputise for Jamie Smith — who was on paternity leave — as wicketkeeper-batter for Ben Stokes’ team.
England’s sole Test against Zimbabwe is followed by five at home to India, starting at Headingley on June 20, with the next Ashes series in Australia looming thereafter from November 21, beginning in Perth.
England Test squad to face Zimbabwe
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). —SkySports
Online Reporter
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