Cox was surprised when England head coach Brendon McCullum contacted him and informed him of his selection for the Test team.
“I was in Battersea Park and missed a call. I just thought someone was trying to sell me something so I left it alone.
“Then Baz texted me, saying, ‘Call me back, it’s Baz.’ I called back pretty quickly, hoping he hadn’t chosen someone else,” Cox said.
“I’ve always felt like I’m closer to the white ball side than anything else, so it’s great to get the call on the red ball.
“I didn’t think what I did this year would have any impact. There are so many good young players out there, I thought I needed to do this for a couple of years and keep knocking down that door.”
Cox, who took part in an England T20 tour to Pakistan in 2022 without playing a single match, is Essex’s top scorer in the County Championship with 763 runs at an average of nearly 70, including three centuries.
The first Test against Sri Lanka begins on August 21 at Old Trafford and whether he gets to play or not, Cox is relishing the opportunity.
He added: “On my Pakistan tour, seven T20s, I was there for a month and I think I learned more in that month than in my five years as a professional cricketer.”
“I think I will learn so much from these three games, it will definitely be the best experience of my life.”
