England Men’s Head Coach Chris Silverwood has named a 15-player squad for the two-match LV= Insurance Test Series against New Zealand starting at Lord’s on Wednesday 2 June.
Bears duo Dom Sibley and Olly Stone have both been included after featuring for the Bears during the early part of this year’s LV= Insurance County Championship campaign.
Multi-format all-rounder Chris Woakes will join Moeen Ali, Jonathan Bairstow, Jos Buttler and Sam Curran in taking a break after completing a quarantine period following the cancellation of the Indian Premier League earlier this month. All players will spend some time resting before joining up with their respective counties in due course.
England Test Squad
Joe Root (Yorkshire) Captain
James Anderson (Lancashire)
James Bracey (Gloucestershire)
Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire)
Rory Burns (Surrey)
Zak Crawley (Kent)
Ben Foakes (Surrey)
Dan Lawrence (Essex)
Jack Leach (Somerset)
Craig Overton (Somerset)
Ollie Pope (Surrey)
Ollie Robinson (Sussex)
Dom Sibley (Warwickshire)
Olly Stone (Warwickshire)
Mark Wood (Durham)
Gloucestershire wicketkeeper-batsman James Bracey and Sussex seamer Ollie Robinson have been called up to the Test squad for the first time. Both have been in impressive form during the early stages of the LV= Insurance County Championship. Bracey has scored 478 Championship runs so far in this campaign at an average of 53, while Robinson has taken 29 wickets at an average of 14.
Both are familiar with the England set-up, having toured as reserves during England’s winter Test programmes in Sri Lanka and India. They were part of the extended squads during last summer’s behind closed doors Test series against West Indies and Pakistan, respectively.
There is a recall for Somerset all-rounder Craig Overton, who last featured for England in a Test match in September 2019 against Australia at Emirates Old Trafford – he will be looking to add to his four Test caps.
Durham all-rounder Ben Stokes (fractured finger) and Sussex seamer Jofra Archer (right elbow) were not considered for selection.
Stokes is progressing well from his fractured left index finger and is set to return to action next month for Durham in the Vitality Blast competition. Archer is to meet with a medical consultant later this week to determine the seriousness of his right elbow soreness.
England Men’s Head Coach, Chris Silverwood, said:
“The summer of Test cricket will be fascinating. Playing the top two teams in the world, in New Zealand and India, is perfect preparation for us as we continue to improve and progress towards an Ashes series in Australia at the back end of the year.
“With several players not available through injury or being rested for the New Zealand series, it is an opportunity for us to reward those who have been on the fringes of England squads over the past 12 months.
“James Bracey and Ollie Robinson deserve their call ups to the Test squad. They have been consistent performers in the County Championship this season and over the past 18 months, have excelled for the Lions on the field and in the various camps they have been involved in.
“Having spent all winter and last summer in the company of our established Test players, they have immersed themselves in preparing and understanding what it takes to play at this level. The environment and culture will be something they are used to, and should they be in a position to make their Test debuts, they will be ready to showcase their skills.
“They are both resilient characters and have demonstrated to me, the captain and coaches that they have the desire, temperament and the ability to continually improve to give themselves every chance of succeeding on the international stage.”
In respect of those players injured and rested, Silverwood, added:
“Jofra Archer is to see a consultant this week to understand the severity of his right elbow injury. He struggled in Sussex’s Championship fixture last week and he wasn’t able to bowl on the final two days of the match. We need to get this resolved once and for all to give him the best chance of being fully fit as we build up to an intense winter, which will include a T20 World Cup and the Ashes. We need him firing in all formats of the game.
“Ben Stokes is making excellent progress following his fractured left index finger sustained last month in the Indian Premier League. If he continues to improve without any impact on his rehabilitation, we could see him return next month for Durham in the Vitality Blast competition. We will assess him again towards the end of this month.
“As for the players who have just come out of quarantine after the cancelled IPL, we felt it necessary for them to have an extended break. We need them to recharge mentally. We will then take a view when they return to cricket. It will mean that they will get some competitive matches with their respective counties either in the LV= Insurance County Championship or the Vitality Blast next month. We will work closely with each individual on when they are likely to play again.
“This is the start of our international summer and an exceptionally long winter, so we are mindful that we need the players ready both physically and mentally. Understanding players needs are paramount in our planning and something that will continually develop across the year leading into the World Cup and Ashes campaigns.”
The England Test squad will report to its London base on Friday 28 May ahead of the first LV= Insurance Test starting at Lord’s on Wednesday 2 June, before finishing the series at Edgbaston from Thursday 10 June.
