Jacob Bethell gets maiden call-up, Jamie Smith ruled out as England announce squad for NZ vs ENG 2024 Test series
The England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has named the squad for the three-Test series against New Zealand, scheduled to commence from November 28 at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch. Keeper-batter Jamie Smith will miss the entire tour due to paternity leave, with Jordan Cox likely to stand behind the stumps. Meanwhile, all-rounder Jacob Bethell has received his maiden call-up to the Test squad.
Bethell made his white-ball debut for England in the recent home series against Australia, showcasing credibility across facets in ODIs and T20Is. However, he has played only 20 first-class games and has managed 738 runs at 25.44. The youngster's left-arm spin has yielded seven wickets at 96.14 apiece.
Cox, who has 3194 runs in 53 first-class fixtures, has been with the squad since the series against Sri Lanka but hasn't played a Test. However, he will likely get his first Test cap in New Zealand.
The rest of the squad remains the same as the selectors have decided to name all three spinners in Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir and Rehan Ahmed. Ben Stokes and co. are coming off a deflating 2-1 series loss in Pakistan. Although the tourists had won the first Test to take a 1-0 lead, Pakistan returned to clinch the series, with their spinners playing a vital role.
England squad: Ben Stokes (c), Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Jordan Cox, Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes.
England haven't won a Test series in New Zealand since 2008
It was in 2008 that the Englishmen had last beaten the Kiwis in an away Test series, winning by 2-1. The last series played between them in New Zealand in 2023 saw the latter clinch a thrilling one-run win in Wellington to square the two-Test rubber.
The tourists will play a two-day warm-up game against New Zealand Cricket XI in Queenstown on November 23-24 before the opening game. The Black Caps will be confident, given they have won a Test series against India in India.