Italy-born Emilio Gay earns England Test call-up for New Zealand Series

England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have named a 15-member squad for the first Test against New Zealand, with 26-year-old opener Emilio Gay emerging as the standout inclusion.

Gay, who previously featured in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) setup for Rangpur Riders and has represented Italy at the international level, has earned his maiden England Test call-up following consistent performances.

Born in Bedford, England, Gay is eligible to represent Italy through his mother and made appearances for the Italian national side last year. He impressed in international cricket, narrowly missing a century against Tanzania while registering a series of consistent half-centuries.

His selection comes ahead of established opener Zak Crawley, with reports suggesting Gay could make his Test debut at Lord’s on June 4, potentially opening alongside Ben Duckett.

The squad also includes first-time call-ups for fast bowler Sonny Baker and wicketkeeper-batter James Rew. England captain Ben Stokes returns to lead the side after recovering from injury, while regulars Joe Root, Harry Brook and Ben Duckett retain their places. Ollie Robinson also returns to the Test setup after a long absence since February 2024.

England squad (1st Test): Ben Stokes (c), Rehan Ahmed, Josh Tongue, Matthew Fisher, Ollie Robinson, Jamie Smith, Harry Brook, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Jacob Bethell, James Rew, Sonny Baker, Emilio Gay, Saqib Mahmood, Rehan Ahmed.