NZ vs ENG: Bairstow Dropped For Tests, No Stokes in T20Is As England Announce Squads

English wicket-keeper Jonny Bairstow, who averages 20.25 in Tests this year, was dropped from the Test squad

After having a memorable summer of cricket vs arch-rivals Australia in Ashes 2019, England Cricket Board (ECB) named a 15-strong squad for the two-match Test series and T20I series against New Zealand, starting 20th November. While World Cup winning skipper Eion Morgan marks his return to the English side after recovering from a back spasm he sustained during WC 19 clash against West Indies, wicket-keeper Jonny Bairstow, who averages 20.25 in Tests this year, was dropped from the Test squad. The national selectors decided to go forward with Jos Buttler to keep wickets for the Joe Root-led side. Uncapped players Matthew Parkinson, Dom Sibley, Zak Crawley and Saqib Mahmood earned maiden call-ups. Jos Buttler, who averages 36 since his recall at the start of last summer, has now a fair chance of becoming the no 1 Test keeper. Ollie Pope was also recalled to the Test squad, according to an ICC statement. After a five-match Twenty20 series, England play two Tests in New Zealand, after which they will tour Proteas in December before two Tests in Sri Lanka in the spring. T20I squad: Eoin Morgan (c), Jonny Bairstow (wk), Tom Banton, Sam Billings, Pat Brown, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Denly, Lewis Gregory, Chris Jordan, Saqib Mahmood, Dawid Malan, Matt Parkinson, Adil Rashid, James Vince Test squad: Joe Root (Captain), Jofra Archer, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Jack Leach, Saqib Mahmood, Matt Parkinson, Ollie Pope, Dominic Sibley, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes