England Announces Squad for First Test Against New Zealand at Lord's

England's 12-Player Squad for the Test Match

London [UK], June 2: The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has unveiled a 12-member squad for the upcoming first Test against New Zealand, which is scheduled to commence on Thursday at Lord's.

This squad includes two players yet to make their Test debuts: Emilio Gay, a top-order batter from Durham, and Sonny Baker, a fast bowler from Hampshire. Additionally, Sussex's Ollie Robinson has been recalled to the Test team for the first time since February 2024.

Leading the team will be captain Ben Stokes, alongside prominent players such as Joe Root, Harry Brook, and Ben Duckett.

The selection showcases England's strategy of merging seasoned players with fresh talent as they gear up for the significant series opener against New Zealand at the iconic Home of Cricket.

The match at Lord's signifies the start of England's latest Test campaign, with the team aiming to kick off the series strongly in familiar home conditions.

On the other hand, New Zealand has welcomed back Mitchell Santner to their Test squad for the series against England, starting at Lord's on June 4, following his recovery from a shoulder injury sustained during the Indian Premier League (IPL) while playing for the Mumbai Indians.

The 34-year-old was initially sidelined from the opening Test at Lord's and the one-off Test against Ireland due to a grade-three shoulder injury that required a month of rehabilitation.

In their recent match, New Zealand achieved an innings victory over Ireland in less than three days, with impressive bowling displays from Nathan Smith and Blair Tickner, while Daryl Mitchell also made significant contributions with his medium pace.

Matt Henry was absent from that match due to a minor hamstring strain and has traveled to London with Kyle Jamieson and Will O'Rourke to prepare for the upcoming series against England.

England's playing 12 for the first Test against New Zealand includes: Ben Stokes (captain), Gus Atkinson, Sonny Baker, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Ben Duckett, Emilio Gay, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wicketkeeper), and Josh Tongue.