Injured Ben Foakes ruled out of New Zealand series; Billings named as replacement

Ben Foakes was set to play his maiden Test match in home conditions in England's two-Test series against New Zealand, starting at Lord's on 2 June.

However, Foakes sustained an injury on Sunday after slipping in the dressing room during the County Championship match between Surrey and Middlesex. It resulted in a torn hamstring, and Foakes will now undergo rehabilitation with the Surrey medical team.

The uncapped Sam Billings has been named as Foakes' replacement, with the selectors also including opener Haseeb Hameed in the squad, following a fine county season – he has scored 474 runs at 52.66 for Nottinghamshire. Hameed last played Tests during England's tour of India in 2016.

Billings who has been an established member of England's white-ball squads, is yet to make his debut in the Test cricket.

England Squad

Joe Root (c), James Anderson, James Bracey, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Zak Crawley, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Craig Overton, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Dom Sibley, Olly Stone, Mark Wood, Sam Billings, Haseeb Hameed