England suffer injury setback ahead of Zimbabwe Test

England have suffered a setback ahead of their summer Test campaign, as newly selected wicketkeeper-batter Jordan Cox picked up an injury just days after receiving his maiden Test call-up.

The 24-year-old was included in England’s 13-man squad for the upcoming one-off Test against Zimbabwe, which is set to take place on May 22 at Trent Bridge. However, while playing for Essex in a County Championship Division One match on Monday, Cox was forced to retire hurt during his innings.

Cox had been in great form, approaching a century when he appeared to injure his left side while taking a quick single on 99 runs. He had already shown signs of discomfort earlier in the innings and had received treatment on the field. After collapsing to the ground, he briefly returned to complete his century with a boundary but did not continue his innings afterward. He also did not return to the field during the opposition’s batting, with a substitute fielder replacing him.

After the match, Essex captain Tom Westley confirmed that Cox was dealing with a side issue, and medical staff were assessing the injury.

“Jordan has an issue with his side, and our medical staff are currently assessing it,” said Westley. 

“Unfortunately, being a Sunday, we couldn’t get a scan done immediately, but we hope to have more clarity on Tuesday. He played a fantastic innings, and it was disappointing to see him go off like that," he added. 
 
Cox’s selection for the national squad was seen as a possible answer to England’s top-order concerns, especially with Zak Crawley under pressure for his recent lack of form, having scored just one half-century in his last 14 Test innings.

England's summer schedule is a busy one. After the Zimbabwe Test, the team will play a white-ball series against the West Indies, followed by a major five-Test home series against India.