Jordan Cox determined to be back in England mix after ‘devastating’ injury blow
Essex batter Jordan Cox admitted to going through ‘probably the hardest phase of my life’ during the winter.
Jordan Cox was left crestfallen after he cruelly missed out on an England Test debut this winter with a broken thumb but remains determined to force his way back into Brendon McCullum’s plans.
Cox was primed for his international red-ball bow in New Zealand after first-choice wicket-keeper Jamie Smith was absent due to paternity leave.
A stellar debut campaign for Essex put Cox into pole position to deputise before disaster struck on the eve of the first Test in Christchurch when he was hit in the nets and a subsequent scan confirmed a fracture, which ruled him out of the three-match series.
“Yeah, it really did hurt me a lot,” Cox told the PA news agency.
“I knew I was making my Test debut two months before. I had parents’ flights booked, my girlfriend’s flight booked, everyone was coming out and it was going to be the most incredible and surreal day.
“You know the things you dream of as a child and three days before it I got hit on my thumb off a length in the nets and it absolutely crumbled my thumb.
“It absolutely killed me and was probably the hardest phase of my life that I’ve had to go through. Knowing the childhood dream of mine was to play Test cricket and to have it taken away in seconds.
“It was absolutely devastating but I’ve spoken to so many people and they’ve said it happens for a reason. I might not know why yet but things happen for a reason and we’re in the sporting industry, people do get injured, so I have to accept that.
“I’ll work as hard as I can for Essex this year to cement a spot if I can in that (England) team.”
The innocuous injury brought a largely positive 2024 for Cox to an end on a sour note after he thrived in Chelmsford following a high-profile move from boyhood club Kent last season.
Cox never looked back after he blitzed an unbeaten 116 off 89 balls against his old team in April and produced four centuries alongside a tally of 918 County Championship runs at a 65.57 average.
That form did result in a white-ball debut for England in a T20 series against Australia in September before his ODI bow occurred in the West Indies.
Cox acknowledged he failed to take those opportunities and a winter of frustration has added to his drive to earn another shot on the international stage.
Cox added: “Yeah, 100 per cent and while I was so driven before, it will probably make me even more so.
“When I got injured, (McCullum) was absolutely devastated for me and sent me a lovely message when I left the group, hoping I recover well and can get back on the golf course soon but he’s a great guy.
“He is a great coach and that England environment is so well gelled. It’s an incredible environment to be around and I just hope that I will be around it soon.”
