Josh Hull

Josh Hull, a 6ft 7in left-arm fast bowler, made a shock Test debut for England at the tender age of 20. Hull took three Sri Lankan wickets at The Oval but conceded more than five runs per over in a heavy defeat, and sustained a quad injury that ruled him out of the Pakistan tour that followed shortly after.

Hull had only taken 11 Championship wickets at an average above 80 for Leicestershire, but had leapfrogged several more established candidates by taking 5 for 74 on England Lions debut the previous month. Brendon McCullum, England's coach, said Hull was from "good farming stock" and that he fitted his preference for picking "rough diamonds with incredibly high ceilings" - perhaps quite literally, given Hull's size.

Hull joined Leicestershire's senior ranks as an 18-year-old in 2022, after graduating from the club's Academy system alongside his studies at Stamford School in Lincolnshire. He first came to prominence in 2023 when he closed out Leicestershire's victory over Hampshire in the Metro Bank Cup final with a nerveless final over, then jumped into England contention the following summer.

ESPNcricinfo staff