Can NZ bounce back against England? 2nd Test Preview
What's the story
The second Test between England and New Zealand will be played at The Oval, starting on June 17. The match comes after a week of off-field drama, with both teams looking to bounce back from their respective issues. New Zealand's poor batting performance on a bowling-friendly surface at Lord's cost them the first Test. They also suffered due to subpar catching, which led to several missed opportunities. Meanwhile, here is the preview for the upcoming affair.
Match conditions
Rain can play a part
The weather on Day 1 of the second Test at The Oval is expected to be similar to that of Lord's Test. Overcast conditions with showers are predicted, with a 55% chance of rain and 79% cloud cover. Meanwhile, the conditions at the venue make it ideal for the batters to score freely. However, the fast bowlers can get some assistance early in the game. The contest will get underway at 3:30pm IST.
Team changes
England to miss Stokes and Atkinson
England are also dealing with off-field issues, which have affected their team combination for the second Test. After a nightclub incident in London, Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson will be replaced by Sonny Baker and Jordan Cox, respectively. Joe Root will captain the side, while Ollie Robinson has been ruled out of the second Test due to injury. However, Jofra Archer returns after a strong IPL 2026 season with Rajasthan Royals. Notably, England have confirmed their XI for the game.
Squad adjustments
Will Young likely to replace Kane Williamson in NZ XI
With Kane Williamson retiring from international cricket, Will Young is likely to replace him in the New Zealand XI. The rest of the team is expected to remain unchanged from the first Test. Notably, the Kiwis struggled big time in the batting department at Lord's, recording team scores worth 113 and 138. Their problem might ease out in the absence of Robinson and Atkinson.
XIs
Here are the probable XIs
England Playing XI: Ben Duckett, Emilio Gay, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root (c), Harry Brook, Jordan Cox, Jamie Smith (wk), Jofra Archer, Sonny Baker, Matthew Fisher, Josh Tongue. New Zealand Probable XI: Tom Latham (c), Devon Conway, Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell (wk), Glenn Phillips, Nathan Smith, Kyle Jamieson, Will O'Rourke, Matt Henry.
H2H
A look at the head-to-head record
England and New Zealand have faced each other in 116 Tests so far, with the former leading 55-14. Notably, 47 matches have ended in a draw. At home, England have beaten the Kiwis in 34 of the 60 games. As per ESPNcricinfo, England have beaten the Kiwis in seven of their last nine head-to-head clashes in Tests.
Performers
Here are the key performers
Nathan Smith and Kyle Jamieson claimed five-wicket hauls for the Kiwis in the opening Test. Root's Test record against the Kiwis is impressive, having tallied 1,934 runs in 22 matches at an average of nearly 51. Harry Brook, the top-ranked Test batter, and Emilio Gay were the only ones with half-centuries in the first Test. Matthew Fisher has been impressive for Surrey in the ongoing County season, claiming at least three wickets in four of his last five innings.
Poll
