The England cricket team is set to face New Zealand in a three-match Test series, with the first test at Lord's on June 4. The question on everyone's mind is how will England choose their line-up, given the recent disappointing Ashes series?
England has made some changes to their squad for the upcoming series, including bringing back Asa Tribe, who impressed with his performances for Glamorgan and the England Lions in recent months. Tribe, 21, has already made 31 international appearances for the Channel Islanders but is eager to play for England in the long term.
Zak Crawley will likely retain his place as opener due to continuity, while Ben Duckett misses out after failing to pass 42 in his 10 innings against Australia. Tribe's versatility in shorter formats and performances in South Africa have caught the eye of former England captain Kevin Pietersen, who believes he has the potential to be one for the future.
In terms of top and middle order, Jacob Bethell will continue as England Test No 3 after his maiden first-class century came on the biggest stage. However, it's uncertain whether he will line up with the same faces at Nos 4 and 5 who accompanied him at the SCG earlier this month. Durham's Ben McKinney and Sussex's Tom Haines are both in contention for a spot.
Joe Root is expected to keep his place as the number three batsman, and Harry Brook should retain his position at No 5. However, Brook may need to take a break due to the added strain of limited-overs series and the T20 World Cup on his schedule.
Ben Stokes will continue as captain, but there are potential replacements for Brook and Stokes. James Rew is tipped to be one of them, with his strong performances in county cricket and experience of batting in different positions. His younger brother Thomas, 18, is also being touted as a hotter prospect.
In the wicketkeeping department, Jamie Smith's torrid Ashes series has put him under pressure for his Test future. James Rew could fill the role, but it's unclear whether Smith will be given another chance to prove himself. On the other hand, Surrey's Ben Foakes is still in contention to return as England's best gloveman.
For bowling, Rehan Ahmed may have a golden opportunity to nail down the leg-spinner spot. His batting prowess and ability to bowl higher up the order make him an attractive option for selectors. Sam Cook could also get another chance after his solitary Test appearance against Zimbabwe last summer. Other seam bowlers such as Matthew Fisher, Josh Hull, Olly Stone, Eddie Jack, and Sonny Baker should be on the radar if they are fit and in form.
Finally, England's home Test fixtures in 2026 have been announced, with three-Test series against New Zealand and Pakistan scheduled to take place at Lord's, The Kia Oval, Trent Bridge, Headingley, and Edgbaston.
England has made some changes to their squad for the upcoming series, including bringing back Asa Tribe, who impressed with his performances for Glamorgan and the England Lions in recent months. Tribe, 21, has already made 31 international appearances for the Channel Islanders but is eager to play for England in the long term.
Zak Crawley will likely retain his place as opener due to continuity, while Ben Duckett misses out after failing to pass 42 in his 10 innings against Australia. Tribe's versatility in shorter formats and performances in South Africa have caught the eye of former England captain Kevin Pietersen, who believes he has the potential to be one for the future.
In terms of top and middle order, Jacob Bethell will continue as England Test No 3 after his maiden first-class century came on the biggest stage. However, it's uncertain whether he will line up with the same faces at Nos 4 and 5 who accompanied him at the SCG earlier this month. Durham's Ben McKinney and Sussex's Tom Haines are both in contention for a spot.
Joe Root is expected to keep his place as the number three batsman, and Harry Brook should retain his position at No 5. However, Brook may need to take a break due to the added strain of limited-overs series and the T20 World Cup on his schedule.
Ben Stokes will continue as captain, but there are potential replacements for Brook and Stokes. James Rew is tipped to be one of them, with his strong performances in county cricket and experience of batting in different positions. His younger brother Thomas, 18, is also being touted as a hotter prospect.
In the wicketkeeping department, Jamie Smith's torrid Ashes series has put him under pressure for his Test future. James Rew could fill the role, but it's unclear whether Smith will be given another chance to prove himself. On the other hand, Surrey's Ben Foakes is still in contention to return as England's best gloveman.
For bowling, Rehan Ahmed may have a golden opportunity to nail down the leg-spinner spot. His batting prowess and ability to bowl higher up the order make him an attractive option for selectors. Sam Cook could also get another chance after his solitary Test appearance against Zimbabwe last summer. Other seam bowlers such as Matthew Fisher, Josh Hull, Olly Stone, Eddie Jack, and Sonny Baker should be on the radar if they are fit and in form.
Finally, England's home Test fixtures in 2026 have been announced, with three-Test series against New Zealand and Pakistan scheduled to take place at Lord's, The Kia Oval, Trent Bridge, Headingley, and Edgbaston.
So England is bringing back Asa Tribe after that decent stint for the Lions. Not sure how he'll fit in with the rest of the team yet, but Pietersen seems to think he's got potential. 
it's gonna be a real nail-biter! I mean, the changes to the squad are pretty interesting, especially with Asa Tribe coming back in - he's been killing it for Glamorgan and the Lions, you know? 
The question is, how will they settle on the line-up? Will they go for continuity with Zak Crawley at the top of the order or shake things up with some new faces?
And Joe Root is still looking solid as a batsman, but Harry Brook might need to take a break due to all the limited-overs commitments. Not sure what's gonna happen with the top 5 spots yet.
. I'm not too fussed about James Rew doing the job as wicketkeeper, but Ben Foakes still being in contention is a nice plus.
Lord's, The Kia Oval... it's gonna be so much fun!
. tribe's comeback is welcome though, he's got some decent form and pietersen's backing him 
. joe root is a no-brainer at #3 but harry brook's been struggling with limited-overs commitments 
. ben stokes still the captain, but james rew and tom haines are both in contention for wickets & gloves 
️. rehan ahmed's got some momentum going for leg-spinner spot tho 
. think england's gonna stick to what they know at home tests, lord's & edgbaston should be fire 
. It'll be tough for Jamie Smith to come back from the Ashes series, but you never know in cricket 
. And with Ben Stokes still at the helm, I'm hoping they can get their top order firing on all cylinders 
first things first, it's about time asa tribe gets his chance to shine on the english soil i think he's got the potential to be a game changer for england in the long run 
also gotta say, ben stokes is still an amazing captain and leader 
they've got some new blood coming in like asa tribe who's been doing pretty well for glamorgan and england lions... 
. They've brought in Asa Tribe, who seems like a promising young player, but will it be enough to shake things up? 
. And on the bowling front, Rehan Ahmed has got some potential, but let's not forget about Sam Cook - he was pretty good in his last Test appearance! 
. The T20 World Cup and all those one-dayers aren't going to go away, after all! 
But hey, at least they've got some talented youngsters coming up through the ranks like Thomas Rew 
. Bring on June 4 and let's see how it all plays out! 
. I mean, it's good that they're giving Asa Tribe a chance, he seems like a decent player. But, you know, the Ashes series was pretty rough 
. I'm not sure about Jacob Bethell being No 3 and Ben McKinney and Tom Haines in contention for No 4 and 5 spots 
. If he can nail that down, I think England will be golden 
️. And have you seen Harry Brook play? He seems like a solid No 5 to me 
.