England fast bowler Atkinson out with concussion ahead of New Zealand Test 2026

England pace bowler Gus Atkinson suffered a concussion during a county match just days before the first Test against New Zealand.

Concussion incident at Trent Bridge Gus Atkinson added to England’s bowling concerns after taking a head strike during Surrey’s County Championship clash with Nottinghamshire. Atkinson was hit twice in the head by teammate Josh Tongue while batting in Surrey’s first innings at Trent Bridge, with the second blow proving especially severe. Despite receiving assessments after each strike, Atkinson continued batting before eventually seeking further treatment and retiring on 27. He was then replaced in the match by Reece Topley. ## Wider England bowling worries The concussion comes at a critical time as England prepare to name their squad for the first Test against New Zealand, scheduled to begin on 4 June at Lord’s. England’s pace-bowling unit appears notably depleted, with Atkinson and Tongue once seen as key seam options alongside a couple of others. Jofra Archer’s return from the Indian Premier League remains uncertain, Brydon Carse is sidelined with a broken wrist, Mark Wood’s comeback from a knee injury has no set timeline, and Chris Woakes has already retired from international cricket. ## Surrey teammates also impacted Atkinson’s Surrey teammate Matthew Fisher was recently drafted into the Ashes squad, while another Surrey bowler, Tom Lawes, has missed two Championship matches due to injury. England may consider recalling Ollie Robinson from his international exile or turn to Essex’s Sam Cook, who earned a single cap against Zimbabwe last year. Hampshire’s Sonny Baker, holding a central contract, has started the season strongly, and Lancashire’s Mitchell Stanley is regarded as a promising option. ## Ben Stokes returns to action England captain Ben Stokes made his season debut for Durham, opening the bowling in his first County Championship appearance in nearly two years. Stokes has recovered from a quad injury picked up during the fifth Ashes Test and a broken cheek sustained in a coaching accident at the Durham academy. He contributed with two wickets in 8.5 overs in Worcestershire’s second innings, following two wickets in 20 overs in the first. After scoring 14 on Saturday, Stokes did not bat in the second innings as Durham chased 143 to win by nine wickets. ## National selector appointment England are set to confirm Australian Marcus North as their new national selector in the coming days. The decision follows ongoing discussions about the team’s leadership and structure ahead of the New Zealand Test series. Speculation has intensified over potential batting lineup changes, though the focus remains heavily on bolstering the pace-bowling department amid multiple injury setbacks.