Like riding a motorcycle – Jordan Cox unfazed by return to wicketkeeping with England

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Jordan Cox sees only the upsides of being England’s wicketkeeper for the Test trip to Latest Zealand despite being a specialist batter for greater than a 12 months.

With Jamie Smith absent from the three-match tour starting in Christchurch on November 28 with the intention to be present for the birth of his first child, Cox has been chosen to don the gloves and bat at seven.

His last first-class outing juggling the twin demands was in July 2023 as a gruesome finger injury sustained the next month in The Hundred meant he was only available to bat for Essex this summer.

The returns were outstanding as Cox amassed 918 runs at a considerable average of 65.57 within the County Championship, including 4 centuries for his latest county after making the move from Kent last winter.

Unfazed

Having diligently practised his glovework alongside Brendon McCullum in Pakistan recently, Cox is unfazed at his first three Test appearances being in a task he has been unfamiliar with for 15 months.

“Keeping for me is something that I absolutely loved,” he said. “I’ve kept for the reason that age of 11 after which obviously I got that pretty nasty injury in The Hundred, which made me stop keeping for a 12 months.

“Now it’s about increase. I’ve probably had three, 4 months of keeping again, so not long. But as people say, it’s like riding a motorcycle.

“Should you get into the team and also you’re an excellent batter, if you happen to can keep that’s awesome and it’s just one other string to your bow. I’ll try my best to cement some kind of role in that team.”

Cox knows making a splash in Latest Zealand could give England welcome headaches going forward, with Smith almost certain to regain his spot in time for next summer’s blockbuster series against India.

Cox’s best route into the side long-term may very well be in the highest six, with vice-captain Ollie Pope under the microscope following a boom-or-bust 2024 by which he has amassed three Test lots of but 11 single-figure scores in 25 innings, while he returned just 55 runs in five knocks within the 2-1 loss to Pakistan.

Taking it because it comes

Pope has been backed by McCullum and Ben Stokes and retained his spot to face the Black Caps, and Cox is aware the vagaries of elite-level cricket means gazing right into a crystal ball is worthless.

“It’s skilled sport, you never know what is going to occur,” Cox said.

Ollie Pope is bowled Sri Lanka’s Lahiru Kumara
Ollie Pope has had an up-and-down 2024 (John Walton/PA)

“Let’s say Popey goes and scores three lots of, let’s say I rating 100 and win the Test match, what happens there?”

While Cox is wanting to do well, he does his best to remain pragmatic, an attitude he admitted can come across as “rude or boastful, or that I don’t really care”.

Having made his T20 debut against Australia last month – an experience he revealed he “can’t really remember” as he “moves on quite quickly” – Cox is poised for his ODI debut within the Caribbean this week.

West Indies Series

Cox could bat at three or 4 in Thursday’s first ODI against the West Indies, with Phil Salt set to maintain wicket as Jos Buttler is sidelined for the three-match series because of a nagging calf injury.

England trained for the primary time in Antigua on Tuesday and among the many attendees was director of men’s cricket Rob Key, who engaged in an extended conversation on the outfield with Jacob Bethell – the surprise inclusion within the Test squad to face Latest Zealand.

Jacob Bethell bats for England in an ODIJacob Bethell bats for England in an ODI
Jacob Bethell is in line for a Test debut (Adam Davy/PA)

Barbados-born Bethell, who made his T20 and ODI debuts against Australia last month, has only featured in 20 first-class matches and has a modest batting average of 25.44, with five fifties and no lots of.

Nevertheless, England have once more plumped for potential within the Warwickshire all-rounder, who turned 21 last week and offers extra batting and spin cover, having shown glimpses of his talent in two T20s and five ODIs against Australia.

Bethell, Cox and leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed will join the Test team following the top of the Windies tour.

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