(Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail)
England Name New Players for Second Test Against New Zealand

England have included Jordan Cox and Sonny Baker in their squad for the second Test against New Zealand, which begins at The Oval on Wednesday. Wicketkeeper-batter James Rew is also in contention to make his Test debut.

The changes come despite England winning the first Test at Lord’s, with several adjustments required due to squad availability and injuries.

Fast bowler Ollie Robinson has been ruled out with a knee injury, while captain Ben Stokes and pacer Gus Atkinson are unavailable following team disciplinary issues. Spinner Shoaib Bashir has also been left out of the squad.

Jordan Cox earns a Test call-up after strong domestic performances, including a double century for Essex in county cricket. Sonny Baker has been added to strengthen the pace attack alongside Jofra Archer and Matthew Fisher.

With Stokes unavailable, Joe Root will lead the England team in the second Test. Root previously captained England before stepping down from the role more than four years ago.

England head coach Brendon McCullum said the team had experienced a challenging week due to multiple changes but expressed confidence in the squad’s depth and upcoming performances.

New Zealand will also go into the match with changes after senior batter Kane Williamson announced his retirement from international cricket following the first Test. His departure leaves a significant gap in the batting lineup.

New Zealand batter Rachin Ravindra said the team would need a collective effort from all batters to compensate for Williamson’s absence, emphasizing the importance of teamwork in filling the experience gap.

The second Test is expected to feature several new faces as both teams adjust their line-ups for the next stage of the series.