England’s rising star, Jordan Cox, recently shared the thrilling moment when he received his first call-up to the national Test squad for the upcoming series against Sri Lanka. The 23-year-old Essex batter, who had been expecting a white-ball opportunity, was caught off guard when he found himself selected for the red-ball format.
Cox, one of the most promising talents in the domestic circuit, boasts an impressive first-class average of 39.46 in 51 matches, including a career-best score of 238 not out. Despite his strong performances, the young batter admitted that the call from England coach Brendon McCullum came as a surprise.
Recalling the moment, Cox shared with BBC Essex Sport how he initially dismissed the missed call, assuming it was just another telemarketer. However, things quickly changed when he received a text message that read: “Give me a call back, it’s Baz.” Realizing the gravity of the situation, Cox wasted no time in returning the call, joking that he hoped McCullum hadn’t already moved on to someone else.
“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,” Cox recounted. “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.”
Though it remains uncertain whether Cox will feature in the playing XI given England’s established middle order, the young cricketer is excited about the opportunity to learn and grow. He drew parallels to his experience during the 2022 T20I series against Pakistan, where, despite not playing a match, he gained invaluable insights.
“My Pakistan tour, seven T20s, I was there for a month, 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,” Cox added.
The highly anticipated three-Test series against Sri Lanka is set to begin on August 21 at Old Trafford in Manchester, with the remaining matches scheduled at Lord’s and The Oval. Fresh off a series sweep over the West Indies, the Ben Stokes-led England squad is ready to take on the Sri Lankans, and Cox is eager to be part of the action.
