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[Saba Sports News] Essex wicketkeeper-batter Jordan Cox, who underwent appendix surgery after leaving the field due to abdominal cramps during a County Championship game against Surrey on June 30, has been named as a replacement for Test regular Zak Crawley, who is sidelined with a fractured finger.
Despite doctors recommending an 8-12 week break from cricket to recover fully, Cox made a quick comeback, playing for Oval Invincibles in The Hundred 2024. Though not fully fit, Cox expressed his willingness to play through some discomfort, saying, “I’m still not 100%, but knowing I won’t do any further damage, I’m more than happy to play with a bit of pain,” in an interview.
Cox also shared a funny story about how he nearly missed the call informing him of his Test squad selection. While at Battersea Park, he saw a missed call from England’s red-ball coach Brendon McCullum, initially dismissing it as a sales call. “I thought it was someone trying to sell me something, so I ignored it. Then Baz texted me, ‘Give me a call back, it’s Baz.’ I called back pretty quick, hoping he hadn’t picked someone else,” Cox recounted.
Although Cox’s domestic red-ball stats are impressive, with 3,039 runs across 82 innings, he expected a white-ball call-up first due to his strong T20 performance. However, he was pleasantly surprised to be selected for the red-ball side instead. “I always felt closer to the white-ball side, so getting the red-ball call is amazing. I didn’t think what I did this year would have this effect. There are so many talented young players out there, I thought I’d have to keep proving myself for a couple of years,” Cox said.
The Test series against Sri Lanka kicks off on August 21, with the first match at Old Trafford.