Bairstow dropped in England’s shake-up

ENGLAND have left Jonny Bairstow out of their Test squad for the tour of New Zealand, while four players are handed maiden call-ups for the two-match series.

Warwickshire opener Dominic Sibley is rewarded for his remarkable summer with a place on the plane, alongside Kent batsman Zak Crawley and Lancashire duo Saqib Mahmood and Matt Parkinson.

Batsman Jason Roy is another to miss out after a difficult Ashes series while seamer James Anderson remains unavailable due to a calf injury.

Surrey batsman Ollie Pope is back involved and Jos Buttler will be the wicketkeeper in New Zealand as a result of Bairstow’s absence.

National selector Ed Smith confirmed Yorkshire wicketkeeper Bairstow had been dropped rather than rested from the Test team but backed him to ‘come back stronger’ following a break.

“This feels like an opportunity for Jonny to reset,” he said.

“He does drop out of the Test squad for these two Test matches in New Zealand, which are not part of the Test Championship, and I predict he’ll come back stronger having had a bit of time away from the Test set-up.

“He’s not rested, he drops out of the Test team, but it’s an opportunity for Jonny after a very busy summer, very hectic schedule, to reset, to work on one or two things and to come back stronger.

“My prediction is he comes back very strongly.”

Smith, who is travelling to Leeds tomorrow to speak with Bairstow about his future, assured the 29-year