{"id":1042288,"date":"2026-06-22T06:31:21","date_gmt":"2026-06-22T06:31:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/1042288\/"},"modified":"2026-06-22T06:31:21","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T06:31:21","slug":"my-england-xi-for-decider-vs-new-zealand","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/1042288\/","title":{"rendered":"My England XI for decider vs New Zealand"},"content":{"rendered":"

With England hoping to have drawn a line under the whole \u201ccurfew-gate\u201d saga<\/a> involving captain Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson, they have a Test series against New Zealand at Trent Bridge to win this week.<\/p>\n

Having made five changes for the 253-run defeat at The Oval<\/a>, after which the teams now head to Nottingham for a decider, a 16-man squad that includes the returning Stokes, Atkinson, Jamie Smith and Ollie Robinson was named on Sunday afternoon.<\/p>\n

It means England are back to full strength and changes \u2013 by my reckoning at least four \u2013 will be made to the XI.<\/p>\n

Here we look at the main questions facing the selectors ahead of the start of the final Test that starts on Thursday.<\/p>\n

Who has dropped out of the squad?<\/strong><\/p>\n

James Rew and Sonny Baker, who both made their Test debuts at The Oval, are the only two who make way. Rew had a difficult match after being handed the gloves in the absence of Smith, who was granted paternity leave after the birth of his second child on the eve of the match.<\/p>\n

\"LONDON,Rew\u2019s debut behind the stumps did not go well (Photo: Getty)<\/p>\n

Baker, meanwhile, took three wickets in his first Test but the fast bowler, who surely has a bright future<\/a>, is surplus to requirements now after the recalls for Atkinson and Robinson.<\/p>\n

What changes will there be to the batting line-up?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jordan Cox, the third debutant at The Oval, remains in the squad as batting cover but will drop out of the XI with Stokes\u2019 return.<\/p>\n

Cox showed promise batting at No 7 but the captain will resume his position there at Trent Bridge. The only other change will see Smith come in for Rew, with the entire top five set to remain.<\/p>\n

Will England pick a spinner?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Given the forecast and the fact it\u2019s already been a dry summer, they will have to include a frontline slow bowler. Stokes coming back allows England to do that without weakening the seam attack.<\/p>\n

Leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed, who scored a County Championship century for Leicestershire at the weekend, is a tempting pick given he would also lengthen the batting.<\/p>\n

But the only real choice this week is Shoaib Bashir<\/a>. The off-spinner\u2019s record at Trent Bridge jumps off the page \u2013 16 wickets at 18.25 in two Tests over the past two summers against the West Indies and Zimbabwe. Both matches saw him win the game for England with decisive second-innings contributions. He has to play.<\/p>\n

Does Ollie Robinson come straight back in?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The man of the match in the opening Test of this series at Lord\u2019s, where he took seven wickets, is back after missing The Oval with soreness in his right knee. Robinson\u2019s fitness issues over the years<\/a> mean there may be some doubt about whether he can be trusted for a series decider. But he has to be picked if he\u2019s fully fit \u2013 as coach Brendon McCullum insists he is.<\/p>\n

\"England'sOllie Robinson\u2019s return to the Test fold at Lord\u2019s was a roaring success (Photo: AP)<\/p>\n

At 32, he is in the autumn of his England career and needs to prove his durability this summer if he\u2019s to be a factor in next summer\u2019s home Ashes. There\u2019s no better place to do that than at Trent Bridge this week.<\/p>\n

What about the rest of the attack?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Matthew Fisher remains in the squad but Atkinson, whose record of 76 wickets at 22.50 illustrate his class, simply has to play after being suspended for The Oval. If Robinson is in too, it means a straight shootout between Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue for the final seam position. If Archer is fit, I\u2019m picking him. He will surely only improve on an encouraging display at The Oval \u2013 his first Test since January.<\/p>\n

Tongue has been excellent in his short England career. But the fast bowler needs to be looked after and taking him out of the firing line would help manage his workload after he played the first two Tests of the series.<\/p>\n

My XI for Trent Bridge<\/strong><\/p>\n