England vs New Zealand 2nd Test 2026: England and New Zealand head into the second Test at Kennington Oval with contrasting challenges. England need to deal without their regular skipper Ben Stokes and fast bowler Gus Atkinson. In contrast, New Zealand needs to adapt without their regular captain Kane Williamson who has retired from International Cricket.
England managed to win by 115 runs in the first Test played at Lords. The team has been completely reworked, with only a few players returning to play for England. Joe Root takes charge as the captain for the first time since he gave up the mantle in 2022.
England have handed Test debuts to Jordan Cox and Sonny Baker, while Jofra Archer makes his much-anticipated return to the longest format. Matthew Fisher also returns, giving England one of their least experienced bowling attacks in recent years.
For New Zealand, replacing Williamson’s immense experience and run-scoring ability will be a collective effort. Will Young and Henry Nicholls are among the options to strengthen the batting lineup as the visitors seek to level the series.
The Oval is expected to provide good batting conditions after offering some assistance to seamers early in the match. Although mild showers are forecast on certain days, a result remains highly likely.
England vs New Zealand 2nd Test 2026: Match Details
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Match |
England vs New Zealand, 2nd Test |
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Date |
June 17-21, 2026 |
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Venue |
Kennington Oval, London |
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Start Time |
3:30 PM IST |
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Local Time |
11:00 AM |
England vs New Zealand Test Series 2026 Live Streaming Details
How to watch England vs New Zealand 2nd Test live in India?
Fans in India can watch the England vs New Zealand 2nd Test live on the Sony Liv app and website. The match will also be broadcast live on Sony Sports Network channels.
Where to watch England vs New Zealand 2nd Test live in England?
Cricket fans in England can watch the match live on Sky Sports Cricket.
Where to watch England vs New Zealand 2nd Test live in New Zealand?
Viewers in New Zealand can follow the action live on Sky Sport NZ.
England vs New Zealand 2nd Test 2026 Playing XIs
England Playing XI
Ben Duckett, Emilio Gay, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root (c), Harry Brook, James Rew (wk), Jordan Cox, Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue, Matthew Fisher, Sonny Baker
New Zealand Probable XI
Tom Latham (c), Devon Conway, Will Young/Henry Nicholls, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell (wk), Glenn Phillips, Nathan Smith, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry/Blair Tickner, William O’Rourke
England vs New Zealand 2nd Test 2026 Full Squads
England Squad: Ben Duckett, Emilio Gay, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root (c), Harry Brook, James Rew (wk), Jordan Cox, Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue, Matthew Fisher, Sonny Baker, Jamie Smith, Ollie Robinson, Henry Crocombe, Rehan Ahmed, Shoaib Bashir.
New Zealand Squad: Tom Latham (c), Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell (wk), Glenn Phillips, Nathan Smith, Kyle Jamieson, William O’Rourke, Matt Henry, Will Young, Henry Nicholls, Blair Tickner, Dean Foxcroft, Zakary Foulkes.
Key Storylines To Watch
Joe Root Closing In On Historic Milestone
Joe Root requires just 28 runs to become only the second batter in Test cricket history after Sachin Tendulkar to reach 14,000 Test runs. The milestone could come during this Test at The Oval.
Jofra Archer’s Long-Awaited Return
England have welcomed back Jofra Archer to the Test side. His pace, bounce and wicket-taking ability could prove decisive as England look to clinch the series.
New Zealand Begin Life After Kane Williamson
The retirement of Kane Williamson marks the end of an era for New Zealand cricket. The visitors now face the difficult task of rebuilding their batting unit without their most accomplished modern-day batter.
England’s New-Look Attack Under The Spotlight
With Stokes, Atkinson and potentially Ollie Robinson unavailable, England’s relatively inexperienced bowling lineup will be closely watched against a capable New Zealand batting order.
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