England Test cricket: How Ben Stokes' side could line up against New Zealand after latest Ashes away defeat
England's next Test match is not until June following their savage 4-1 Ashes series defeat this winter; questions over several players' futures but who stays and who goes?
Friday 16 January 2026 06:18, UK
Changes will come when England take to the field as a Test side for the first time since a disappointing away Ashes series this winter, but how could they line up?
New Zealand will be the opposition for a three-match series, which begins at Lord's on Thursday June 4.
Will England still be managed and coached by Rob Key and Brendon McCullum respectively by then or will new faces be in charge come the summer?
Here we try and predict who might line up at the Home of Cricket against the Black Caps and who might find themselves on the outside looking in.
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The openers: stick or twist?
In short, one of each is the answer to the above question.
Neither Zak Crawley nor Ben Duckett covered themselves in glory Down Under opening for England.
Duckett failed to pass 42 in his 10 innings against Australia but Crawley did register two half-centuries. He did however start the series with a pair of ducks as Mitchell Starc twice removed him in his first over in Perth, so arguably both would be fortunate to get another go.
While Crawley retains his place in terms of continuity, Duckett misses out. In his place comes Glamorgan's Asa Tribe.
Tribe, 21, has been turning heads in recent months with his run-scoring exploits firstly for Glamorgan to help them to promotion to Division One of the County Championship, then for England Lions as he scored 129 not out against an experienced Australia A bowling attack in Brisbane. He is currently showing his versatility in the shorter formats playing as an opener for Paarl Royals in the SA20.
Performances in South Africa have caught the eye of former England captain Kevin Pietersen who has anointed him as one for the future.
Jersey-born Tribe has already made 31 international appearances for the Channel Islanders, but is keen to play for England in the long-term.
Others who might be in the frame to push for selection include Durham's Ben McKinney and Sussex's Tom Haines, who both featured in the England Lions squad this winter.
Top and middle order: In with the new or continuity picks?
Only injury or illness will prevent Jacob Bethell keeping his place as England Test No 3 after his maiden first-class century came on the biggest of stages in the fifth Test against Australia in Sydney.
But does he line up with the same faces at Nos 4 and 5 who accompanied him at the SCG earlier this month?
Joe Root is a lock. The former captain is now fewer than 2,000 runs behind Sachin Tendulkar in his quest to become the leading Test run-scorer of all time. After his two centuries in Australia and six more Tests at home this coming summer, it should present the opportunity to put a serious dent in that deficit.
Harry Brook, currently England's vice-captain, should keep his place at No 5. But, it's been a winter of perhaps more noise off the field than on it for the Yorkshireman. The added strain of a limited-overs series in Sri Lanka and a T20 World Cup are still to come before June and the early summer could mark a time for Brook to take a break.
More on his potential fill-ins to come.
Then comes No 6, the current position of captain Ben Stokes. As it stands, he continues in post and as the leader of a side he seems to be determined to take it into its next chapter.
Any potential replacements for Brook and Stokes? Well, a few names below could be contenders.
Wicketkeeper: A new dawn?
Jamie Smith had an Ashes series to forget.
Along with Ollie Pope, he is arguably the most under pressure for his Test future heading into next summer.
By the end of the tour, Smith looked a player in need of time away from the game after a torrid time with both bat in hand and keeping gloves on them.
Following his omission from England's white-ball squads, he looks set to follow suit in the red ball, for the immediate future at least.
So who will take the gloves off him? James Rew has strong numbers behind him after some impressive performances in the County Championship for Somerset as well as being a key component for the Lions.
The 22-year-old was drafted in as cover last summer before the one-off Test against Zimbabwe off the back of some impressive performances for Somerset. What could also work in his favour should some of the middle-order places become vacant, is his experience of batting in a range of positions.
While on the subject of the Rew family, look out for younger brother Thomas. Many are tipping the 18-year-old as a hotter potential prospect than James. He will also be leading England U19s in the World Cup this month in Zimbabwe, live on Sky Sports.
One potential way back in for Smith could be for him just to be a middle-order batter, which is how he got himself into the frame for Test selection originally thanks to his weight of runs for Surrey.
And talking of Surrey - should England wish to return to the best gloveman in the country, look no further than a return for Ben Foakes.
Bowlers: Spin the wheel of change
It's time for England to sort out their problem with spin.
Shoaib Bashir was left out in the cold in Australia and will be looking to rejuvenate his prospects at new county Derbyshire next season. Will Jacks is a talented cricketer, but not as a No 8 who can bowl some useful off-spin. England were left short of a potential game-changer on less responsive pitches throughout the Ashes.
Now could be Rehan Ahmed's best chance to nail down the role. Not just because he is easily the best leg-spinner in the country, but he can also bat higher up the order.
His performances for Leicestershire last season demonstrated his batting prowess where he scored five centuries in the County Championship.
So that just leaves places up for grabs in the seam bowling department.
England started the Ashes series with six (seven including Stokes) fast bowlers in their squad. Brydon Carse made it through all five Tests, Josh Tongue excelled once he got the nod from the third Test onwards, while Matthew Potts was arguably too rusty by the time he finally got selected in the fifth Test.
Mark Wood, Gus Atkinson and Jofra Archer were unable to see out the series due to injuries. Atkinson found it hard to impose himself on the contest as he claimed just six wickets in three Tests while Stuart Broad said the Surrey seamer needed to "work on his body language" after a hamstring strain ended his tour prematurely.
In reality, three positions could go to any number of bowlers who can bowl their way into form in the early season, but Carse, Tongue and a return for Sam Cook would be as good a punt as any.
Cook was handed his solitary cap against Zimbabwe last summer and while he only claimed one wicket, has the proven track record in county cricket to be given another chance.
As well as the Essex right-armer, Surrey's Matthew Fisher, who came in as cover in the Ashes squad when Mark Wood was ruled out, Leicestershire's Josh Hull who has a Test cap to his name, plus Olly Stone, Eddie Jack and Sonny Baker should be among those on the selectors' radar should they be fit and firing.
England men's home Test fixtures in 2026
Three-Test series vs New Zealand:
- First Test (Thursday June 4 - Monday June 8) - Lord's, London (11am)
- Second Test (Wednesday June 17 - Sunday June 21) - The Kia Oval, London (11am)
- Third Test (Thursday June 25 - Monday June 29) - Trent Bridge, Nottingham (11am)
Three-Test series vs Pakistan:
- First Test (Wednesday August 19 - Sunday August 23) - Headingley, Leeds (11am)
- Second Test (Thursday August 27 - Monday August 31) - Lord's, London (11am)
- Third Test (Wednesday September 9 - Sunday September 13) - Edgbaston, Birmingham (11am)
