England have left opener Zak Crawley out of their squad for the opening Test of the three-match series against New Zealand at Lord’s next month. The change follows a disappointing 4-1 Ashes series loss to Australia and a broader review of England’s Test setup, with leadership decisions also extending to the national selection panel.
Key takeaways
- Zak Crawley has been dropped from England’s squad for the first Test versus New Zealand at Lord’s.
- Ollie Pope is also out of the squad for the match that starts on June 4.
- Marcus North has been appointed national selector, becoming the first foreigner to take on the role.
- England included three players who have not yet played a Test, alongside a return for fast bowler Ollie Robinson after two years.
- England’s pace options are affected by retirements, injuries, and Jofra Archer’s unavailability due to T20 commitments.
Selector appointment and selection philosophy
England have confirmed the appointment of former Australia batter Marcus North as national selector. North’s role is set to support the selection of all England men’s squads, stretching from the senior team through to pathways and youth programmes.
This is North’s first stint as a foreign national selector for England. He has also built a strong connection with English domestic cricket, having represented six county sides during his playing career.
Since 2018, North has worked as director of cricket at Durham County Cricket Club, where he has also collaborated closely with England Test captain Ben Stokes. The appointment arrives after England’s Ashes defeat prompted renewed scrutiny of how players are chosen, with criticism aimed at the idea that county form had been overlooked in prior selection decisions.
England’s Test programme is already led by New Zealand-born head coach Brendon McCullum, underlining that the squad’s changes come within a wider management and performance review.
North takes over from Luke Wright, who had spent three years in the selection role.
Crawley and Pope omitted as England reshape the squad
With England already facing questions after a heavy Ashes campaign under Stokes and McCullum, alterations to the Test squad had been widely expected. Alongside Crawley, No. 3 batter Ollie Pope has also been left out for the first Test, which begins on June 4.
The new-look squad includes three uncapped players. Fast bowler Ollie Robinson returns after a two-year gap from Test cricket.
Crawley’s form has been a key factor. During the 2025-26 Ashes tour, he managed 273 runs across 10 innings, averaging 27.30. In addition, he has not produced consistent runs for Kent in Division Two of the County Championship this season.
England say this is the first time since Stokes and McCullum took charge in 2022 that Crawley has been dropped while also being fully available for selection.
New faces, pace constraints, and squad balance
Among the incoming players are opener Emilio Gay and wicketkeeper-batter James Rew. Gay has also represented Italy in limited-overs international matches over the last two years, with his eligibility linked to his Italian roots through his mother.
England’s pace-bowling resources are currently stretched. Chris Woakes has joined James Anderson and Stuart Broad in retirement, while Mark Wood and Brydon Carse are dealing with injuries. Jofra Archer is not available because of commitments in T20 cricket.
To cover the workload, fast bowlers Matthew Fisher and Sonny Baker have been called up, with Baker yet to make his Test debut. More seasoned options in the squad include Gus Atkinson, Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue.
The selection announcement relates only to the first Test of the three-match series, with further squads to follow for the remaining matches.
England squad for the first Test vs New Zealand
- Ben Stokes (captain)
- Rehan Ahmed
- Gus Atkinson
- Sonny Baker
- Shoaib Bashir
- Jacob Bethell
- Harry Brook
- Ben Duckett
- Matthew Fisher
- Emilio Gay
- James Rew
- Ollie Robinson
- Joe Root
- Jamie Smith
- Josh Tongue
