Picture Credit: Twitter/ ECB
In a recent development, the head coach of the England men's team Chris Silverwood has named a 15-member squad for the two-match Test series against New Zealand set to commence at Lord's on June 2. Gloucestershire wicketkeeper-batsman James Bracey and Sussex seamer Ollie Robinson have earned a maiden call-up for the Test squad. Notably, both the players were in superb form in the initial stages of the County Championship and have been rewarded for their consistent run-making.
While Bracey has scored as many as 478 runs in the County season so far, Robinson has taken 29 wickets at an average of 14. Both the players had earlier toured with the England side as reserves for their series against Sri Lanka and India earlier in 2021.
No place for Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow, Chris Woakes & others
As expected, the likes of Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow, Chris Woakes, Sam Curran and Moeen Ali have not been included in the squad for this assignment. This is because the IPL-bound players are currently serving mandatory quarantine and the management is not looking to rush them into Test match cricket as they would be lacking red-ball practice. Since the IPL was suspended midway, the players made an early return to the United Kingdom but later underwent a mandatory 10-day quarantine.
England squad against New Zealand
Joe Root, James Anderson, James Bracey, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Zak Crawley, Ben Foakes, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Craig Overton, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Dom Sibley, Olly Stone, Mark Wood