New Delhi, Oct 19 : England wicketkeeper Jordan Cox is set to make his Test debut during the upcoming tour of New Zealand, as first-choice keeper Jamie Smith is expected to miss part of the series due to the birth of his first child.

England head coach Brendon McCullum confirmed that Smith, who has been England's regular wicketkeeper since the beginning of the home summer, is likely to play the first of the three Tests before returning home, with Cox primed to step in for the remaining two matches.

Cox, who turns 24 on Monday, is currently the backup keeper on England's tour of Pakistan, and McCullum believes the New Zealand tour will offer a perfect opportunity to assess Cox's capabilities in Test cricket.

"At this stage, it looks like Jamie will probably play the first one and may miss the next two," McCullum was quoted by BBC as saying. "New Zealand is a comfortable place to keep wicket, and it would be great to have a look at Jordan Cox as well," McCullum said.

Though Cox is relatively inexperienced in first-class cricket as a wicketkeeper, having kept in only six first-class matches, McCullum, himself a former international keeper, has been impressed with Cox's overall skill set.

"His keeping is solid. I've done a bit of work with him recently. He's one of those annoyingly talented players who's good at everything, especially with the bat. He's got a high ceiling," he added.

Cox has already featured for England in two T20 internationals and has been the reserve keeper since the home series against Sri Lanka. However, his opportunities to keep in first-class cricket have been limited, partly due to a serious finger injury he sustained during The Hundred tournament in 2023.

Despite this, Cox has impressed the England coaching staff with his potential, and McCullum hinted that Cox could get his chance to bat down the order and take the gloves if Smith departs after the first Test.

England is expected to name their squad for the New Zealand tour after the final Test against Pakistan, and the situation with Smith's potential absence has led to discussions about additional cover, particularly in the batting department. With Ollie Pope able to step in as a backup wicketkeeper, McCullum may opt for extra batting reinforcements rather than another gloveman.

Several young players are under consideration, including Durham's highly rated Ben McKinney and Warwickshire's Rob Yates, both of whom are seen as promising reserve openers. Middle-order options like Somerset's James Rew, who is also a capable wicketkeeper, are being evaluated as well.

As for the bowling lineup, England may consider additional seam-bowling options for the New Zealand tour, with Josh Hull, who missed the Pakistan series due to injury, in the mix. Dillon Pennington and Jamie Overton, despite his recent injury struggles, are also in contention.

Spinner Rehan Ahmed, who hasn't played in the Pakistan series yet, could still feature in the final Test if conditions favor spin.

Meanwhile, two players from the Pakistan Test squad are expected to join England's white-ball team in the West Indies once the final Test begins. Cox, who is also part of England's T20 setup, is likely to be one of those players, alongside a bowler.

/IANS