Jordan Cox embraces Test ‘clarity’ but with it comes unfamiliar role for England | England cricket team

It has been a complicated start to Jordan Cox’s England career. There have been a handful of white-ball appearances and a Test debut that was taken away from him two years ago when he broke a thumb in the buildup. The cap eventually arrived this summer, though only at No 7 as a specialist batter, filling in when Ben Stokes was suspended against New Zealand at the Oval.

Now comes another unfamiliar role, starting on Wednesday in the three-match series against Pakistan – but Cox is grateful for the straightforward message provided by the England selector Marcus North. He will bat at first drop in the first two Tests in the absence of the injured Jacob Bethell. “Northy didn’t have to go: ‘You’re batting at three in these two Test matches’, but he did. This is 100% – unless I get injured,” Cox said. “Clarity’s one of the best things in sport.”

Cox has been told by North to “do what you’ve been doing, don’t change the way you’ve been playing in county cricket, go have fun and embrace the challenge”. He added: “I don’t think I’ve ever batted three before but I’ve opened for probably two years in county cricket for Kent. So look, it will be fun, I’m looking forward to it.”

He can probably be forgiven for forgetting his only first-class match at No 3, back in 2019 as an 18-year-old against Nottinghamshire, when he was dismissed twice by Ravichandran Ashwin. Cox has sparkled for Essex as a thumping presence at No 4, from where he struck a 201-ball 204 against Leicestershire in June.

The challenge for the right-hander is significant, particularly if he’s called upon early to take on a new-ball master in Mohammad Abbas. He has at least had the last few days off to prepare after his Hundred campaign at Welsh Fire ended with a group-stage exit.

Josh Tongue and Gus Atkinson – winners in Sunday’s final between Trent Rockets and Manchester Super Giants – were absent from England’s rain-interrupted training session on Monday at Headingley. They will feature in Tuesday’s practice, with a 16-man squad stacked with seam options if the pair have any issues. Brydon Carse, who played for Sunrisers Leeds in Friday’s Eliminator at the Oval, was among those bowling as he aims to play his first Test since the Ashes.

Pakistan, meanwhile, are still to make a call on whether Babar Azam, their captain and star batter, will be fit to play the first Test. Babar suffered a blow to his right hand while batting in a warm-up fixture last week at Beckenham, forcing him to retire hurt.

Abbas said a decision on Babar’s participation will be taken on the day of the match. “Hopefully he will be fine,” said Abbas. “The medical team is looking at him. He played some balls [at training], a few throw-downs.”

The Pakistan seamer sounded more hopeful about the prospect of Shan Masood featuring. Their former captain broke a finger in the first Test against West Indies last month and offers valuable experience in these conditions, having scored a ton on Pakistan’s last Test tour of England six years ago and made County Championship hundreds for Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire.