London [UK], May 8 (ANI): Somerset's young wicketkeeper batter James Rew has been included in England's squad for the one-off Test against Zimbabwe, after Jordan Cox was ruled out with an abdominal muscle injury.

The 21-year-old earned his first call-up after enjoying a stellar season in the County Championship, as he enjoys a healthy average of 54.7, including a top score of 152. Cox was announced in the squad after missing out on a potential Test debut in New Zealand last winter due to a thumb fracture he sustained in the nets.

Cox recently hurt his side while trying to run for a single to move to 99 during Essex's game at Taunton over the weekend. Subsequently, he retired hurt before notching his century.

According to ESPNcricinfo, recent scans indicated that Cox would be unable to take part in the one-off Test against Zimbabwe. The 24-year-old has been struggling with injuries, including a broken finger during the Hundred in August 2023. The injury required surgery, which further delayed his debut for England.

Rew has been on the radar for some time since he toured Australia with the Lions last winter. He was a key figure in the Young Lions side that reached the ICC U19 World Cup final in 2022, alongside current internationals Rehan Ahmed and Jacob Bethell. In the final, he top-scored with a blistering 95-run knock.

In the same season, he struck his maiden century for Somerset and followed it up with a staggering 1086 County Championship runs at 57.15, with five hundreds, during the 2023 summer.

Even his numbers in white-ball cricket stand out with two List A hundreds. He also slammed a 62 not out, on only his second T20 appearance, which came in last season's Vitality Blast semi-final.

Rew will link up with the Test squad at their pre-series training camp next week as preparations begin for the start of the international summer. The one-off Test between the Three Lions and Zimbabwe will begin on May 22 at Trent Bridge. (ANI)