England bowler Cook to make Test debut against Zimbabwe

LONDON: Sam Cook will make his England debut in this week´s Test against Zimbabwe, while fellow fast bowler Josh Tongue features for the first time in two years.

Cook´s place in the England team at Trent Bridge on Thursday is a reward for a sustained spell as one of county cricket´s most consistent wicket-takers with Essex. The 27-year-old´s 227 County Championship wickets are the most by any seamer over the last five years.

Cook´s 321 first-class wickets have come at an average of only 19.85. Tongue, who missed the whole of last season with a pectoral injury, has also been picked in England´s new-look bowling attack in his first appearance since the 2023 Ashes series.

The clash with Zimbabwe is only England´s second home Test without retired fast bowlers James Anderson and Stuart Broad, and the injured Chris Woakes, in the past 18 years. Gus Atkinson joins Cook and Tongue as the main pace bowlers, leaving no place for Durham´s Matthew Potts, with uncapped batsman James Rew also missing out.

Shoaib Bashir retains his spot as England´s spinner despite taking just two wickets in his loan spell at Glamorgan.

England captain Ben Stokes is expected to bowl occasionally after the all-rounder´s lengthy rehabilitation from his latest hamstring tear. Zak Crawley has been retained as one of England´s opening batsmen alongside Ben Duckett.

Ollie Pope moves to number three in the batting order, with Joe Root at four and Harry Brook at five. Jamie Smith is back as wicketkeeper after paternity leave. The four-day Zimbabwe Test is a warm-up for England´s five-match series against India before they head to Australia for the Ashes later this year.