England was reportedly preparing to provide Ollie Pope with the wicketkeeping gloves following the unfortunate injury that sidelined Jordan Cox during his tour in New Zealand. Cox, who had arrived in New Zealand with hopes of making his Test debut, suffered a fractured thumb while batting in the nets ahead of the warm-up match. The injury prompted England to seek an alternative wicketkeeper, with expectations that Pope would initially take on the role when the Test series commenced in Christchurch on Thursday.
The injury occurred during a net session, where Cox was receiving throwdowns from assistant coach Jeetan Patel. Following scans that confirmed the severity of the injury, head coach Brendon McCullum expressed his disappointment, stating his sympathy for Cox, who had shown promise with both bat and gloves.
In light of the incident, questions were raised about England's decision to travel without a specialist reserve wicketkeeper, especially since Jamie Smith was absent due to paternity leave. While Pope had previous experience as a keeper in three Test matches, he was also under pressure to maintain his batting position. The expectation was set that the additional responsibility behind the stumps would only last for one Test, until a new wicketkeeper could be brought in from the UK.
Names such as Durham's Ollie Robinson surfaced as potential replacements, suggesting a departure from previously established players. Moreover, the possibility of Jacob Bethell, a talented all-rounder, making his Test debut was also discussed, as he had recently arrived in New Zealand alongside Rehan Ahmed. In the meantime, preparations continued amidst an eventful warm-up match, highlighting England's ongoing adjustments.