London, November 28 (IANS). Uncapped wicketkeeper-batsman Ollie Robinson has been included in England’s squad for the New Zealand tour as a replacement for injured Jordan Cox, the England and Wales Cricket Board said on Thursday.
Cox fractured his thumb during a warm-up match in Queenstown and has been ruled out of the three-match ICC World Test Championship series, while batsman Ollie Pope will take over as wicketkeeper for the first Test in Christchurch, while regular wicketkeeper Jamie Smith is on paternity leave.
Robinson is expected to join the team in New Zealand this weekend and will be in contention for a Test debut as early as the second Test starting in Wellington on December 6.
This is 25-year-old Robinson’s first selection in the senior England team. Has impressed in recent times in the England Domestic County Championship with a batting average of 48 in 2024 and an even more impressive 58 during the last season in 2023. He has also shown his skills behind the stumps with 92 dismissals in the last two seasons.
England team: Ben Stokes (captain), Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethel, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Jack Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Ollie Stone, Chris Woakes
–IANS
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