England are anxiously monitoring the fitness of Jordan Cox ahead of Thursday's first Test against New Zealand, following a hand injury sustained by the wicketkeeper during a warm-up match in Queenstown. Cox, 24, was set to make his Test debut at Hagley Oval in Christchurch, with regular gloveman Jamie Smith absent due to paternity leave. However, the likelihood of his maiden Test appearance now depends on the extent of a right-hand injury suffered while batting in the nets on Sunday.
As Cox underwent a scan at a local hospital in Queenstown, Ollie Pope stepped in to take the gloves on day two of England's practice match against the New Zealand Prime Minister's XI. Ben Stokes, fully fit but choosing to sit out the first day, captained the side. Notably, Jimmy Anderson donned the whites for the first time since his international retirement in July, serving as a substitute fielder.
With 14 players currently in New Zealand, England's squad is set to be bolstered by the arrival of Jacob Bethell and Rehan Ahmed next week, following their participation in the recent Caribbean white-ball tour. Anderson, now the team's bowling coach and hoping to be selected in the upcoming Indian Premier League mega auction, was called upon to bolster the fielding numbers.
Pope was designated as the reserve wicketkeeper for the New Zealand tour, having previously filled the role in 2019 and during the 3-0 Test series win in Pakistan in late 2022. If Cox is ruled out, potential replacements include Phil Salt, Ollie Robinson (from Durham), and Michael Pepper. Jonny Bairstow, dropped after the 4-1 defeat in India earlier this year, remains another option.
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