New Zealand clinched a 2-1 series victory over England, marking a somber end to Ben Stokes' Test career with a 160-run defeat at Trent Bridge. This is New Zealand's first Test series win in England since 1999.
England opener Ben Duckett was a standout performer, accumulating a series-high 246 runs. He found his form with a century at Trent Bridge, though his overall series total could have been higher had he not been run out at the Oval. Emilio Gay contributed a crucial half-century at Lord's that helped set up a win and scored another fifty in the first innings at the Oval, but his series average of 23 indicates challenges in consistently replacing Zak Crawley.
Jacob Bethell struggled to build on his previous hundred, with much of his series run tally coming in a single innings. His judgment outside off stump was questioned, though he took four wickets with his left-arm spin. Joe Root faced difficulties adapting to New Zealand's accurate fast-medium bowling, being dismissed lbw four times in succession. His series average of 28 was his lowest since the 2022-23 tour of Pakistan.
Harry Brook registered three half-centuries, with his highest score being 58. He found it challenging to play against New Zealand's tactic of the wicketkeeper standing up to the stumps. His rapid nine-ball 21 on the fourth evening at Trent Bridge was described as a "dereliction of duty." Jamie Smith, despite some difficulties with his keeping, played two steady innings, scoring a useful 39 at Lord's and a fighting 60 on the final day at Trent Bridge. He missed the Oval Test due to paternity leave.
Ben Stokes' presence cast a shadow over the series. While his batting and bowling performances diverged, the emotional atmosphere on the fourth day at Trent Bridge was noted as potentially clouding his team's decision-making. James Rew, who kept wicket, was deemed unready for Test cricket by the selectors, with his dismissals at the Oval occurring with little time left in the day. Jordan Cox scored 27 and 25 at the Oval batting at number seven. Gus Atkinson's series was hampered by the "Rex Rooms saga," preventing him from bowling more after a strong showing at Lord's. He finished as England's most economical bowler, conceding just 2.82 runs per over.
Ollie Robinson began his comeback with an impressive spell at Lord's, taking career-best match figures of seven for 77. However, knee issues and concerns over his fitness limited his participation. Josh Tongue took eight wickets in the series at an average of nearly 50, his most expensive series to date, despite experiencing some misfortune with edges falling short of the slips. New Zealand reportedly rates him highly.
Jofra Archer, who missed the win at Lord's due to his IPL commitments, showed improvement in his bowling throughout the series. England's management plans to carefully manage him leading up to the 2027 Ashes. Matthew Fisher's match figures of five for 120 at the Oval were considered flattering, though he did score a resilient half-century with the bat. Sonny Baker demonstrated infectious enthusiasm, drawing comparisons to Mark Wood, but his fast bowling remains raw. Shoaib Bashir, overlooked at Lord's and dropped for the Oval, showed flashes of potential at Trent Bridge but was expensive. England's primary spinner is still considered a work in progress.
New Zealand's player ratings included Tom Latham (6.5), Devon Conway (7), Kane Williamson (3), Henry Nicholls (7.5), Rachin Ravindra (6.5), Daryl Mitchell (8), Tom Blundell (7.5), Glenn Phillips (8), Mitchell Santner (4), Nathan Smith (7.5), Kyle Jamieson (7), Matt Henry (8), Will O’Rourke (7), Blair Tickner (5), Ben Sears (5), and Zak Foulkes (7).