ENG vs NZ: Two Players Handed Maiden Call-Up In England’s XII For First Test Against New Zealand

Hyderabad: England have named a 12-member squad for the first Test of the three-match series against New Zealand. The uncapped duo of Emilio Gay and Sonny Baker have been given a maiden call-up in the squad selection for the Test starting on June 4. The duo feature for Durham and Hampshire in the County Championship.

Gay has scored 4702 first-class runs with an average of 39.84, including 13 centuries and 18 half-centuries. Also, he has played three T20Is for the England national team. Sonny Baker has made his debut in ODI and T20I but he is yet to feature in Test cricket for the national side. He has taken 41 wickets from 12 first-class matches with a strike rate of 43.6.

Pacer Ollie Robinson has also returned to the squad as England will get into the World Test Championship action after a 4-1 loss to Australia earlier this year.

Robinson has returned to the national side for the first time since 2024, when he featured in the five-match Test series against India. The right-arm pacer has picked 76 wickets from 20 Tests so far to boost his wicket tally. Baker, Josh Tongue, Gus Atkinson and Shoaib Bashir will accompany him in the bowling department.

Captain Ben Stokes will also return to the field after recovering from a facial injury. Joe Root and Harry Brook will be the pillars of the batting unit, while Ben Duckett and Jamie Smith will also play a crucial role in the batting unit.

The first Test of the series will be played on June 4 at Lord’s, followed by the two Tests at The Oval and Nottingham.

England are currently at the seventh position in the WTC standings after playing 10 matches in the ongoing cycle so far. New Zealand, on the other hand, are placed at the second position in the standings, winning two out of the three matches they have played.

England squad: Ben Stokes (c), Gus Atkinson, Sonny Baker, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Ben Duckett, Emilio Gay, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue

Schedule of the series

First Test - June 4-8, Lord's

Second Test - June 17-21, The Oval

Third Test - June 25-29, Nottingham