Bairstow to cover for injured Denly in England Test squad

Jonny Bairstow will stay in New Zealand after the Twenty20 International series, with Joe Denly still sidelined by an ankle injury.

Published : Nov 08, 2019 09:28 IST

England wicketkeeper-batsman Jonny Bairstow
England wicketkeeper-batsman Jonny Bairstow
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England wicketkeeper-batsman Jonny Bairstow

Dropped wicketkeeper-batsman Jonny Bairstow has been added to the England Test squad to face New Zealand as cover for the injured Joe Denly.

Denly has played no part in the ongoing Twenty20 International series with the Black Caps after suffering ankle ligament damage.

England is hopeful that batsman Denly will be fit for a three-day warm-up match against a New Zealand Cricket XI, which gets under way on November 15.

Read: New Zealand's Rosemary Mair takes double hat-trick maiden

Bairstow will remain in New Zealand when the T20 series finishes at Eden Park on Sunday and will join the Test squad for two warm-up games, providing another option if Denly cannot prove his fitness.

The 30-year-old was left out of the Test squad due to a lack of runs in a drawn Ashes series, but national selector Ed Smith said the Cricket World Cup winner can still be a top player in the longest format.

England and New Zealand start the Test series at Mount Maunganui on November 21.

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