Overview

• England has confirmed an XI featuring debutant Sam Cook, with Josh Tongue returning to the lineup after a two-year absence.
• The inexperienced pace attack, led by Gus Atkinson, includes Cook, Tongue, and spinner Shoaib Bashir, with Ben Stokes returning from injury to captain and bowl.
• The match is Zimbabwe's first Test on English soil in 22 years, symbolizing the restoration of cricketing ties after years of political and sporting isolation.
• Zimbabwe, captained by Craig Ervine, faces a challenging task against England's aggressive 'Bazball' approach, with Blessing Muzarabani and Sikandar Raza among key players.
• England views the Test as critical preparation for their five-match series against India starting next month, as they assess form and fitness across the squad.