Stuart Broad, Matthew Potts, Dan Lawrence return to England’s Test squad for New Zealand tour

New Delhi:  Fast bowlers Stuart Broad, Matthew Potts and right-handed batter Dan Lawrence on Friday made a return to England’s 15-member Test squad for the tour of New Zealand comprising two Tests in February next year.

Broad had missed England’s victorious 3-0 tour to Pakistan due to the birth of his first child, while Potts was not considered. Lawrence returns after last featuring in the Test team on the tour of West Indies in March this year.

The right-arm quick Olly Stone, who last played for England in June 2021 against New Zealand, will be looking to add to his three Test caps. Tearaway quick Mark Wood, who was impressive in the recent 3-0 victory over Pakistan, will take a break from all international and franchise cricket in January to fully recover after a busy winter in all formats.

The ECB said in an official statement that Wood is expected to tour Bangladesh in March, where England will play three ODIs and three T20Is. Teenage leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed, who sparkled with a five-wicket haul on Test debut in Karachi, is not picked for the tour of New Zealand.

The ECB remarked that as part of his management for this winter, Ahmed will go to the ILT20 in the UAE in January to play for Gulf Giants, with a view to joining up with the white-ball team in Bangladesh if selected for the tour in March.

England batter Joe Root will play a handful of matches for Dubai Capitals in the UAE T20 League ahead of the Test tour to New Zealand. ECB added that Root will have a short break before joining up with the Test team, adding that the arrangement is the best way to enhance his game ahead of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in India in the autumn of 2023.

Stone, Harry Brook, Ben Duckett, and Will Jacks, who will be playing in the South Africa T20 League followed by the ODI series against the Proteas, will fly directly to join the squad in New Zealand following the conclusion of that series.

England Test Squad: Ben Stokes (captain), James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ben Foakes, Will Jacks, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root and Olly Stone

England Men’s Test Tour of New Zealand Schedule: (All timings are as per local)

Two-day warm-up (red-ball): NZ XI v England, February 8-9, Seddon Park, Hamilton (11am start)

Two-day warm-up (pink-ball): NZ XI v England February 10-11, Seddon Park, Hamilton (2pm start)

First Test (pink ball): New Zealand v England, February 16-20, Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui (2pm start)

Second Test: New Zealand v England, February 24-28, Basin Reserve, Wellington (11am start)

–IANS