Cox was due to make his own debut as regular keeper Jamie Smith is on paternity leave, but broke his right thumb in the nets during England’s warm-up game in Queenstown over the weekend.
With no specialist reserve keeper in the tourists’ squad, Pope will stand in behind the stumps, as he did during England’s tour of this country in 2019, and in Pakistan two years ago. Durham’s Ollie Robinson is expected to be called up in time for the second Test.
Brydon Carse, impressive in his first Test series in Pakistan, joins Chris Woakes and Gus Atkinson in the pace attack, with Shoaib Bashir retained as the frontline spinner.
Skipper Stokes, who struggled in Pakistan after returning from a hamstring injury, plays in the city of his birth, while Joe Root becomes the fourth Englishman to reach 150 Tests.
New Zealand pulled off one of the all-time great victories in their last Test series, a 3-0 win in India.
They have former captain Kane Williamson back from injury, and uncapped seamers Nathan Smith and Jacob Duffy vying to make a debut.
England XI for first Test: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ollie Pope (wicketkeeper), Ben Stokes (captain), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Shoaib Bashir.
