India’s series in June may be the main event, but England’s upcoming one-off Test against Zimbabwe is just around the corner. The four-day match at Trent Bridge begins on May 22, and with a training camp in Loughborough beforehand, team selection is forthcoming. Following four rounds of the County Championship, potential candidates are starting to emerge.
Top Order
Had the New Zealand series before Christmas lasted five Tests, there’s a good chance Zak Crawley would have been removed from the lineup early due to his struggles against Matt Henry. However, England might point to Crawley’s average of 46.6 in recent contests against India and Australia as a reason to give him another chance. Despite a couple of half-centuries for Kent suggesting an improvement, he still seeks his first Test century since the 2023 Ashes.
Ben Duckett is increasingly seen as a secured choice, yet the No. 3 position is still debatable. Jacob Bethell made a strong impact during the New Zealand series, scoring three half-centuries including a near miss at 96 in Wellington, but he’s currently with the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL, making it improbable for him to play against Zimbabwe. England has assured their IPL counterparts they won’t recall players early as they did last summer.
This situation could benefit Ollie Pope, who stepped up as an emergency wicketkeeper batting at No. 6 while management favored Bethell. The concern now is what runs Pope accumulates against Zimbabwe could mean for the India series, beyond the usual cliche of “a good headache to have.”
Middle Order
There is unlikely to be extensive debate over the middle order. Joe Root and Harry Brook are set to return for Yorkshire this week. Jamie Smith, back with Surrey after taking paternity leave during the New Zealand tour, has recently been recognized as one of Wisden’s five cricketers of the year and is established as the first-choice wicketkeeper. The only contentious issue might be whether Brook, as the new white-ball captain, should replace Pope as vice-captain.
Ben Stokes, still recovering from hamstring surgery earlier this year, remains an uncertainty. At 33, he aims to finish his England career as a full all-rounder, but with no plans to feature in county cricket before the Test, the match against Zimbabwe might be his only chance for red-ball preparation ahead of the series against India.
Seamers
England’s preference for pace is well-known, but they also seek expertise with the new ball. Chris Woakes, who took over Jimmy Anderson’s role last summer, has yet to play this season due to an ankle issue; this could create an opening for Sam Cook.
Cook has produced an impressive 318 first-class wickets at an average of 19.76, demonstrating that he can be effective against batters. After excelling with the Kookaburra ball last summer and turning down franchise opportunities to represent the Lions, he is now likely to partner Gus Atkinson with the new ball. This choice may alleviate some concerns regarding England’s perception of county cricket.
Spinner
The identity of England’s best spinner remains a persistent dilemma. Shoaib Bashir took 49 Test wickets in 2024, ranking third behind Jasprit Bumrah and Atkinson, yet he had a high cost per wicket at an average of 40 runs with a strike rate of 64. His early performances for Glamorgan indicate he needs development, with two wickets at 152 runs this season.
As the Ashes approach, England faces a tough decision regarding Bashir, especially as alternatives are scarce. One possible solution is Liam Dawson from Hampshire, who has also gained recognition as one of Wisden’s five cricketers of the year. However, left-arm spin tends to be less effective in Australia. Farhan Ahmed, a promising off-spinner for Nottinghamshire and just 17 years old, could be an option, although selecting him would be a significant risk for the Bazball approach.
Possible England XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Gus Atkinson, Sam Cook*, Josh Tongue, Matthew Potts, Shoaib Bashir, Sonny Baker*, Ben McKinney* (*uncapped)
