England’s promising young batter Jordan Cox recently opened up about the unexpected call that led to his first inclusion in the national Test squad. The 23-year-old will join the team for the upcoming three-match series against Sri Lanka, a surprise for Cox, who had anticipated a potential white-ball call-up instead.
Cox, who has been a standout performer in domestic cricket, boasts an impressive first-class average of 39.46 over 51 matches, with a highest score of 238* and seven centuries to his name. His consistent performances made him a top candidate for national selection, but the manner of his call-up left him momentarily bewildered.
Recalling the moment he received the call from England’s head coach Brendon McCullum, Cox shared with BBC Essex Sport:
“I was at Battersea Park and I had a missed call. I just thought it was someone trying to sell me something, so I left it. Then Baz sent me a text saying, ‘Give me a call back, it’s Baz.’ I called back pretty quick, hoping he didn’t choose someone else instead of me.” He added, “I’ve always felt I was a bit closer to the white-ball side than anything, so to get the call in red-ball is amazing.”
Despite his excitement, Cox’s place in the playing XI remains uncertain due to England’s established middle order. However, he sees this as a valuable learning opportunity.
Reflecting on a previous experience with the England squad, Cox said: “My Pakistan tour, seven T20s, I was there for a month, and I think I learned more in that month than I have in my five years playing professional cricket. These three games, I think I’ll learn so much from that; it’ll be the best experience of my life, for sure.”
England will face Sri Lanka in the first Test at Old Trafford in Manchester on August 21. The series will continue at Lord’s and The Oval, with the English side, led by Ben Stokes, riding high on the momentum from their recent 3-0 series sweep over the West Indies.
As Cox prepares to join the squad, his journey from a missed call to potential Test debut is already shaping up to be one of the most memorable moments of his young career.
