T20 Blast 2026: Jordan Cox returns to Essex squad after no-show with RCB at IPL 2026

Essex have received a major boost to their T20 Blast 2026 campaign with star batter Jordan Cox returning to the squad ahead of their game against the Kent Spitfires on Tuesday, June 9. The team, formerly called the Eagles, are second in the South Group with 12 points from five matches.

Essex will now see a strengthened-looking batting lineup thanks to the return of Cox. The right-handed batter formed part of the title-winning Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL). The wicketkeeper-batter, however, failed to feature in any of the 16 matches his side contested and remained a constant member on the bench, occasionally coming on to the ground to field for an injured or unavailable player, including in the final.

Following the conclusion of the IPL, Cox returned to his homeland, where he played two List A matches for the England Lions against South Africa A as captain. Before that, he played three matches against the Pakistan Shaheens in Abu Dhabi.

Cox's last franchise gig was with the Pretoria Capitals in the 2026 SA20, where he scored a mere 32 runs from six matches at a strike-rate of less than 100.

Despite his recent run of poor form and no-shows, the 25-year-old's return will be a huge deal for Essex, who are currently competing on two separate fronts. The Chelmsford-based side will be hoping that their star batter can spend a few months with their first-team squad as they look to challenge for titles in the T20 Blast and the County Championship.

His stint in the IPL with RCB also meant that Cox missed out on a place in England's Test squad ahead of their three-match series against New Zealand, with the backup wicketkeeper spot instead going to Somerset's James Rew.

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Cox was Essex's best player in the T20 Blast last season. The right-hander scored 342 runs from 10 matches at a strike-rate of 165.21, whilst averaging 38. His best innings came against Hampshire, where he hit an unbeaten 139 off just 60 balls to help his side chase down 221. He hit 11 fours and the same number of sixes on that occasion to strike at upwards of 230.