Sam Cook will make his England debut in the four-day Test match against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge from Thursday, live on Sky Sports.

The Essex seam bowler has been rewarded for taking 321 first-class wickets in 89 games at an average of 19.85, including 10 in the County Championship so far this year.

Cook, 27, is preferred in the XI to Durham’s Matthew Potts and will form a pace attack with Gus Atkinson, Josh Tongue and fit-again captain Ben Stokes, who has recovered from a hamstring injury sustained in New Zealand in December.

James Rew – called up to the squad as back-up batter after Jordan Cox’s abdominal injury – is the other player to miss out on selection from the 13-man party.

Tongue will make his first England appearance in close to two years after suffering hamstring and pectoral injuries since playing against Ireland and Australia in 2023.

The Nottinghamshire quick has bagged 15 wickets in three County Championship fixtures this season, including two five-wicket hauls.

England are without experienced seamers Chris Woakes (ankle) and Mark Wood (knee), while Brydon Carse is recovering from a toe injury and Olly Stone (knee) is also out.

Zak Crawley is retained as opener, alongside Ben Duckett, despite averaging 8.66 in the series win over New Zealand in December, while Jamie Smith is deployed as wicketkeeper-batter after missing the games against the Black Caps on paternity leave.

Smith’s return means Ollie Pope reverts to the No 3 spot, with Jacob Bethell – who struck three fifties from that position in New Zealand during his debut Test series – currently playing in the IPL for Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Ashes hopeful Cook taking it game-by-game

Cook is eyeing a place on The Ashes tour of Australia this winter and his ability with the Kookaburra ball means he could be a strong option for England in that series.

The seamer picked up 13 wickets for England Lions in Australia over the winter after 23 breakthroughs with the Kookaburra across four County Championship rounds in 2024.

A potential Test debut for Cook last summer was scuppered by a hamstring injury, while the lengthy careers of Woakes, James Anderson and Stuart Broad perhaps heavily contributed to the right-armer not having played for his country yet.

Cook, who operates at around 80-82mph in pace, told reporters: “It is every cricketer’s dream to pull on a Test shirt for England. I never considered it had passed at any point.

“It is professional sport and you are going to have setbacks but having that goal to work towards has made me driven.

“I know I am never going to be a 90mph bowler but that is not to say I haven’t tried to push the echelons of what I can bowl and tried to be fitter and stronger.

“I think that has made me a better bowler but as I have got older I have become more comfortable in my own skin and trusting that.”

Cook, who turned down franchise cricket opportunities to go on the recent Lions trip, added: “The Ashes series [is a carrot, for sure]. It is one you always want to play in and I enjoy bowling in Australia and with the Kookaburra ball.

“But at the minute I am trying to take it game by game and start by taking wickets and putting in decent performances building up to it.

“The environment has been second to none and when it comes to the cricket, the training and intensity has been second to none. It has been phenomenal to be part of.”

‘We will make sure Stokes doesn’t push himself too far’

The Zimbabwe Test will be Stokes’ first competitive game since reaggravating a left hamstring problem while bowling in New Zealand late last year, having initially suffered the injury batting in The Hundred for Northern Superchargers in August.

England head coach Brendon McCullum says he will monitor the captain’s workload as England begin a bumper nine months of Test cricket that includes a home series against India from June 20 and then The Ashes from November 21.

McCullum said: “I have never seen Stokesy look fitter. He is all-in as a character and the way he has dealt with this recent injury is testament to him.

“I expect he will bowl but I wouldn’t expect the long spells he has bowled in the past. I don’t think that’s a bad thing as the impact in his spells is probably more pertinent at the start anyway

“After the recent setback there is a realistic understanding that you need to trust in those around you but also not push yourself to the point of breaking and bowl more varied spells in shorter bursts.

“We have to make sure in the heat of the battle that he doesn’t push himself too far. It won’t be easy but we will get there.”

Watch England’s four-day Test match against Zimbabwe live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event from 10am on Thursday. Stream cricket and more top sport with NOW.