Overview

• Sam Cook, who has taken 318 first-class wickets at an average of 19.77, is poised to receive his first senior England Test call-up next week.
• England requested Essex to rest Cook from their County Championship match to prepare him for a potential debut.
• Injuries to key seamers, including Mark Wood, Olly Stone, and Chris Woakes, have created an opening in England's Test attack.
• Cook's standout performances with the England Lions in Australia, including 13 wickets at an average of 14, have bolstered his case for selection.
• England selectors value Cook's skillful swing bowling as a strategic complement to their pace-heavy attack, with an eye on future Ashes tours.