The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) 15-man England squad for the opening Test of the next three-match series against New Zealand on Wednesday, May 13. Opening batter Zak Crawley and former Test vice-captain Ollie Pope were left out of the side selected for the series opener at Lord’s on June 4. Star fast bowler Jofra Archer, who is currently playing for the Rajasthan Royals in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2026), was not available for. selection.
Three uncapped players have been selected for the first Test, according to a statement released by the ECB on Wednesday. These players are Somerset wicketkeeper-batsman James Rew, Hampshire fast bowler Sonny Baker, and Durham top-order batsman Emilio Gay. Additionally, Sussex seamer Ollie Robinson, Surrey seamer Matthew Fisher, and Leicestershire spinner Rehan Ahmed have returned to the Test team.
“We’ve selected a squad that we believe has a really exciting blend of proven international quality, strong county form and players with huge potential to develop at Test level,” England Men’s Managing Director, Rob Key stated in a release.
“Emilio, James and Sonny have all earned their opportunities through consistent performances and have impressed us not only with their talent, but with the way they’ve gone about their cricket in high-pressure situations. It’s also great to welcome back players like Rehan, Matt and Ollie, who all bring different qualities and experience to the group. Competition for places remains incredibly strong, and that’s exactly where we want to be as a Test team,” he added.
Jofra Archer Unavailable
Key stated that Archer, who participated in the first three Tests of the 2025–26 Ashes series and claimed nine wickets, was not available for the opening Test.
According to the official update, two players who are currently participating in the IPL 2026, Rehan Ahmed and Jacob Bethell, will return to England after their commitments with Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru have ended. The team will report for a training camp at Loughborough starting on May 24.
“Jofra Archer is unavailable for the first Test. He continues to play in the IPL, and it is about building him up for red-ball cricket after a long six months on the road.”
England’s Squad for 1st Test vs NZ: Ben Stokes (C), Jamie Smith (WK), Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Joe Root, Ben Duckett, Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson, Sonny Baker, Shoaib Bashir, Matthew Fisher, Emilio Gay, James Rew, Ollie Robinson, Josh Tongue
