Rew replaces injured Cox for England Test with Zimbabwe

Uncapped Somerset batter James Rew has replaced the injured Jordan Cox in the England squad for their one-off Test against Zimbabwe later this month.

The 21-year-old has been in fine form in the County Championship so far this season, averaging 54.21 with a top score of 152.

He was part of the England Under-19 squad that reached the U19 World Cup final in 2022, and toured Australia with England Lions last winter.

Rew will link up with the squad for a training camp next week in preparation for the first Test of the summer, which begins on 22 May at Trent Bridge.

The right-hander was realistically in England’s squad for the four-day Test as a spare batter, but the injury is a cruel blow.

He was set to make his Test debut last November in New Zealand but broke a thumb in practice before the first Test.

Cox has been in good form for Essex this season, scoring 82 against Nottinghamshire and 117 against Surrey before retiring hurt while on 103 against Somerset.

Zimbabwe’s last Test in the UK was in 2003, a series famous for the Test debut of James Anderson, England’s all-time leading wicket-taker.

England’s five-Test series against India begins on 20 June at Headingley.

England squad: 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).