England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow has been left out of the squad for the two-Test series in New Zealand but included in his country’s Twenty20 squad for the tour that begins in November.
Four uncapped players – Dominic Sibley, Zak Crawley, Matthew Parkinson and Saqib Mahmood have been called up to the Test squad.
Sibley, who scored 1,324 runs in the English County Championship for Warwickshire, is expected to compete for an opening spot, while 21-year-old Crawley has earned his place after scoring 820 runs.
Parkinson is set to be spinner Jack Leach’s understudy while Mahmood has been included as veteran fast bowler and England’s leading wicket taker James Anderson is still out of contention while he recovers from a calf injury.
“James Anderson was unavailable for selection in the Test squad as he continues his rehabilitation from a calf injury,” the ECB said in a statement.
“The Lancashire seamer will work towards being available for the South Africa tour later this winter.”
England begin the New Zealand tour with the first of five T20 matches to be played on November 1 followed by two Tests that begin on November 21 and November 29 respectively.
The Tests will not be a part of the ICC World Test Championship.
England test squad: Rory Burns, Joe Denly, Dominic Sibley, Joe Root (captain), Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes, Saqib Mahmood, Matthew Parkinson, Jofra Archer, Stuart Broad, Sam Curran and Jack Leach
England T20I squad: Eoin Morgan (captain), Jonny Bairstow, Tom Banton, Sam Billings, Pat Brown, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Joe Denly, Lewis Gregory, Chris Jordan, Saqib Mahmood, Dawid Malan, Matt Parkinson, Adil Rashid, James Vince.
Samlaurence26
Roar Rookie
Maybe they think he needs a break for his mental rejuvination. We saw how terribly Finch's white ball form was after he failed in Tests. Perhaps the England selectors want to avoid that sort of scenario
By there is no first class cricket until March for county players, and the South Africa tour starts in December. So I wouldn't be surprised if foakes is there as a backupkeeper but not pushing for a batsman position with no first class cricket to prove form. I agree through that he shouldn't have got dropped, it was a joke really that Bairstow made the ashes team over him.
Paul
Roar Guru
hi Samuel, the bulk of the T20 side is either playing in the Tests or in the actual T20 tournament. It still seems strange Roy's not there, but perhaps you're right.
Samuel Honywill
Roar Pro
Foakes shouldn't have been dropped when he was but he hasn't been in good enough form to justify a recall this season in fairness. Would expect him to be in South Africa and Sri Lanka though.
Samuel Honywill
Roar Pro
In regards to Roy most of the players who were involved in both the World Cup and the Ashes have been rested - Bairstow's the only one who played in both to be involved in the T20 games, and he's obviously not on the Test leg of the tour. Could say that Roy could've been picked for the T20 games but he's a lock-in for an England T20 side, while Bairstow has never established himself in the format the way he has in ODIs or had done in Tests.
Tanmoy Kar
Guest
Alongwith Bairstow, Buttler should have been dropped also, Ben Foakes should have taken wicket-keeper's role.
Gee
Roar Rookie
Wise decision from England, they didn't need two flat track keepers in their side, it's doubtful if they needed one.
Yeah Bairstow has been poor for a long time now, doesn't know what a forward defence is it seems. I don't think the English setup see Buttler has a the long term Keeper, but he should do ok (hopefully) for the 6 tests over the summer in New Zealand and South Africa. Then Foakes back in next year. Buttler just needs to start making hundreds to justify a place in the team after Foakes comes in as keeper, he doesn't need to be ultra consistent, but he cant be a specialist bat 6 averaging 34/35.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
Buttler is only averaging 26.5 this year and that's without the added burden of the gloves. I am surprised the English selectors see this move as a solution when far better keepers are an option. I guess if Buttler isn't batting well enough to be a specialist batsmen, this fixes that... kind of. I am certainly not surprised to see Bairstow missing from the test squad. Two half centuries from 17 innings isn't enough batting at four or five, even if you are the keeper.
AREH
Roar Guru
Still think missed a trick not including Foakes. Buttler may be on par, or slightly superior as a keeper to Bairstow, but is far from the best in the country. Does he make the XI as a pure bat though? I'm not sure whether Buttler keeping and Pope in the middle order, or Buttler at six as an impact batsman with Foakes behind the stumps is the better option.
Fair points but I don't think they'll ask him to bat #5, I think this will be the lineup: Sibley Burns Denly Root Stokes Pope Buttler Bowlers 8-11 All Buttler has to do now is bat to his career average at a healthy strike rate and he'll be fine. If anything I think knowing exactly what his role is for the 2 tests against New Zealand and 4 tests against South Africa over Christmas will give him confidence. He's been messed around the batting order, asked to keep when Buttler got injured then played as a specialist bat in Sri Lanka and West Indies, so that cant be easy. At #7 the pressure is off to make big hundreds, which I think he'll enjoy.
Paul
Roar Guru
Ben, I said what I didn't get was making Buttler keeper and expecting him to be a key batsman. It's not about being fit, it's about being mentally ready to take chances at any stage through the innings and if he hasn't been keeping regularly in long form cricket,that's a huge ask.
Long term Foakes must play as a keeper, but Buttler's keeping is decent enough for the time being, while his style of batting is perfectly suited to #7. Long term I'd have Buttler ( if he truly cements himself in the team with centuries) at #6, he has the ability to average 37/38 and then play Foakes at 7. Stokes Buttler Foakes That looks pretty strong IMO.
You don't get Bairstow being dropped? He's been terrible for over 2 years now. Averaging only 28 since the start of 2017 and averaging 20 this year, he does not deserve selection, and if he was picked what message does that send to County players? Also Buttler is a fit guy, I'm sure keeping for 80-100 overs wouldn't bother him all that much, you adapt pretty quickly, and I doubt he'll be batting higher than 6, probably 7 to play counter attacking innings like we know he's great at.
U
Roar Rookie
Great move to bring in Pope and Sibley. Butler isn’t up to it in tests. His keeping is suspect and his batting inconsistent. Ben Foakes is better. Denly, Burns, Sibley, Root, Pope, Stokes, Butler, Curran, Leach, Archer, Broad.
Paul
Roar Guru
There are two moves England have made that I don't get. Bairstow being dropped is not the first, replacing him with Jos Buttler as keeper is. Bairstow was fairly underwhelming in the Ashes, but asking Buttler to keep but, more importantly, bat at a high level after keeping for 100 plus overs is a big ask. The other move is leaving Jason Roy out of the T20 squad. I have no idea how he went in their domestic T20 comp, but given his white ball form in the WC, I thought he would have been a lock for the T20 games. The Bairstow axing, along with the 4 debutants, is supposedly England's start to regaining the Ashes in 2021/22. It'll be interesting to watch the NZ series, in case this is a glimpse of the England XI in a couple of years time.