Gus Atkinson in England's World Cup plans as Surrey quick makes squads for New Zealand series

Atkinson is part of the squads to face New Zealand in four ODIs and four T20Is, while national selector Luke Wright has since confirmed that the New Zealand 50-over squad is also the provisional World Cup squad

Gus Atkinson is England's uncapped bolter ahead of the upcoming World Cup, with the quick – who has been clocked at 95mph during The Hundred – named in Jos Buttler's squad for the first time.

Atkinson, 25, has only recently properly broken into Surrey's side on a regular basis, but his stock has risen sharply over the last year, featuring in the ILT20 and earning a short-term PSL deal last winter before spearheading his county through the T20 Blast.

He was considered for a Test opportunity against Ireland but wasn't fully fit, so Josh Tongue was handed his debut instead, but Atkinson has since impressed with Oval Invincibles, sitting out the last couple of games with a pectoral issue.

He is part of the squads to face New Zealand in four ODIs and four T20Is, while national selector Luke Wright has since confirmed that the New Zealand 50-over squad is also the provisional World Cup squad.

^{Atkinson is in an England squad for the first time (Ben Hoskins/Getty Images)}

^{Josh Tongue has impressed in his Test appearances (Stu Forster/Getty Images)}

Jofra Archer has been named as a travelling reserve as England gamble on the fitness of their star fast bowler. Left-armers Reece Topley, David Willey and Sam Curran are all included alongside Mark Wood and Chris Woakes.

Ben Stokes' return to ODI cricket was the major story; his comeback appears to have forced Harry Brook aside, with England's top five appearing to pick itself, with Joe Root at No.3, Stokes at No.4 and Buttler at No.5. Two of Jason Roy, Dawid Malan and Jonny Bairstow will open the batting. Adil Rashid, Moeen Ali and Liam Livingstone are the spin options as England keep faith with the majority of the squad that won the 2019 event.

England ODI squad for World Cup (and vs New Zealand)

Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, Reece Topley, David Willey, Mark Wood, Chris Woakes

England T20I squad vs New Zealand

Jos Buttler, Rehan Ahmed, Moeen Ali, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Josh Tongue, John Turner, Luke Wood

Atkinson also leads the new names announced in the T20I squad to face New Zealand in September, where he is joined by a first-time call-up for John Turner, the South Africa-born Hampshire seamer, and Tongue, who Wright said "deserved a place in the T20 squad after impressing during the Ashes".

He added: "Any series against New Zealand is closely fought and will provide us with an ideal opportunity to test ourselves against one of the best teams in the world."

^{John Turner only became eligible for England earlier this month (Alex Davidson/Getty Images)}

^{Matthew Mott and Jos Buttler have made some big calls (Gareth Copley/Gettty Images)}

Brook is included in the T20I group, as are Rehan Ahmed and Will Jacks, both of whom were mentioned as possible outside bets for the World Cup squad but have missed out. Luke Wood, rather than Mark, is set to feature in the T20Is, which are scheduled for Chester-le-Street, Manchester, Birmingham and Nottingham.

Turner's rise has been meteoric: he only became eligible for England this month and only made his T20 debut in this year's Blast, having impressed in the 2022 Royal London Cup. He took 21 wickets in the Blast in only 11 games, with the best economy rate of anyone to have taken at least seven wickets in the competition.

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