Jordan Cox has earned his first call-up to the England squad. He’ll take the field first in three T20 encounters against Ireland at the end of this month. The 24-year-old cricketer’s stellar performance in The Hundred — where he scored a tournament-high 367 runs — played a big role in this accolade. He finished the tournament with a whopping 84 runs ahead of the next highest men’s run-scorer, Jos Buttler. The milestone puts an exclamation point on how great he looked during the tournament.
Cox went on to produce a stunning performance with the bat to finish as The Hundred’s top run-scorer. His brilliant play helped him clinch the MVP title, as he led the Oval Invincibles to their third straight championship. His inclusion in the England squad reflects the selectors’ focus on rewarding young talent who demonstrate exceptional skill and consistency.
The England T20 squad for the series against Ireland features a number of calling card players. Perhaps most significantly, Jacob Bethell will captain the side, and at just 21 will be the youngest man to captain England in a senior international game. The eleven includes stars like Rehan Ahmed, Sonny Baker, Tom Banton and wicketkeeper Jos Buttler. Further inclusion of Liam Dawson, Tom Hartley, Will Jacks, Saqib Mahmood, Jamie Overton, Matthew Potts, Adil Rashid, and keeper Phil Salt ensure an additional element of surprise, alongside Luke Wood.
Cox becomes part of the setup as most of those England players who play across the multi-formats rest. They’re preparing themselves for the upcoming winter Ashes series. This decision is a stroke of genius as it gives newcomers such as Cox the chance to prove their talent on a huge international stage. He has already played three ODIs and two T20s in 2024. This call-up is an important big step in his blossoming career.
Even with his undeniable talent, Cox’s journey hasn’t been without its bumps. This led to his unfortunate withdrawal from the squad that was set to take on Zimbabwe in May. This was caused by a side injury he picked up whilst playing for Essex. This was a second stroke of misfortune. Indeed, last winter, he was poised to finally make his long-awaited Test debut in New Zealand before breaking his thumb in training. Setbacks like these have certainly put his tenacity and devotion to the game to the test.
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