England drop Jonny Bairstow from Test squad for NZ series

In the absence of Bairstow, who averages 20.25 in Tests this year, Jos Buttler will keep wickets for Joe Root’s side.

England’s World Cup winning wicket-keeper Jonny Bairstow was on Monday dropped from the Test squad for their two-match series against New Zealand in November and December.

England's Jonny Bairstow reacts after losing his wicket. (Action Images via Reuters)

In the absence of Bairstow, who averages 20.25 in Tests this year, Jos Buttler will keep wickets for Joe Root’s side. In a new-look T20I squad, Tom Banton, Pat Brown, Saqib Mahmood and Matt Parkinson all earned their maiden England call-ups, while the latter two also won Test calls.

Opening batsmen Zak Crawley and Dominic Sibley both appear in the Test squad for the first time. Ollie Pope was also recalled to the Test squad, according to an ICC statement.

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

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