Sam Cook is aiming for a place in England's Ashes squad, as he prepares to make his Test debut versus Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge this week.

Cook was handed his maiden red-ball call-up by Brendon McCullum earlier this month, with several other bowlers sidelined due to injury.

England are without Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Brydon Carse and Olly Stone, while Jacob Bethell and Jofra Archer are unavailable due to their Indian Premier League commitments. 

Cook has shone in county cricket for Essex, taking 321 first-class wickets in 89 matches, and McCullum confirmed on Tuesday that he will make his debut when the one-off Test begins on Thursday.

After facing Zimbabwe, England face India in a five-Test series in June before heading to Australia for the Ashes, with the first Test starting in Perth in November 21.

Asked to name his primary target with England, Cook told reporters on Tuesday: "The Ashes. It is one you always want to play in, and I enjoy bowling in Australia and with the Kookaburra ball.

"But at the minute, I am trying to take it game by game and start by taking wickets and putting in decent performances building up to it.

"The environment has been second to none and when it comes to the cricket, the training and intensity has been second to none. It has been phenomenal to be part of."

Nineteen quick-fire questions for Sam Cook

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Cook will join Gus Atkinson, Josh Tongue and fit-again captain Ben Stokes in the England attack this week, and though he lacks the pace of some of his competitors, he always had confidence he would break into the red-ball squad.

"It is every cricketer's dream to pull on a Test shirt for England. I never considered it had passed at any point," Cook added.

"It is professional sport, and you are going to have setbacks, but having that goal to work towards has made me driven.

"I know I am never going to be a 90mph bowler, but that is not to say I haven't tried to push the echelons of what I can bowl and tried to be fitter and stronger.

"I think that has made me a better bowler, but as I have got older, I have become more comfortable in my own skin."