Jennings and Foakes earn England recall for Sri Lanka
ENGLAND have recalled Lancashire opener Keaton Jennings and Surrey wicketkeeper-batsman Ben Foakes for the two-Test series against Sri Lanka next month.
The pair were both discarded after the West Indies tour 12 months ago but both of Jennings’ Test hundreds have come on the subcontinent and Foakes was player of the series in England’s 3-0 whitewash of Sri Lanka in November 2018.
Foakes’ inclusion means there is no room for Jonny Bairstow in a 16-man touring party, while England’s record wicket-taker James Anderson is another high-profile absentee, with Moeen Ali remaining unavailable for selection.
Moeen was England’s joint-leading wicket-taker on their last visit to Sri Lanka but his decision to continue his break from Test cricket means Jack Leach, Dom Bess and Matt Parkinson will be the frontline spinners.
Leach, who matched Moeen’s 18 wickets in Sri Lanka 16 months ago, has recovered from an illness that meant he played no part in England’s recent 3-1 series victory over South Africa.
National selector Ed Smith said: “The selection panel has supported continuity after a successful series victory in South Africa.
“The South Africa tour marked the emergence of a very exciting group of young players, creating a nice balance with an experienced core of senior players.
“That squad is mostly retained, with some tweaks to the squad relevant to injury, rest and the challenges of playing in sub-continent conditions.
“Jonny Bairstow has been in England squads across the three formats without a significant break. This twoTest tour presents a good opportunity for Jonny to be rested.
“Jimmy Anderson will continue to work with Lancashire and the ECB so that he is ready for the start of the County Championship season leading into the Test series against the West Indies in June.
“Moeen Ali is still unavailable for Test selection. The selectors are in consistent dialogue with Moeen and he remains a valued player in England cricket.”
England squad:
J Root (c), D Bess, S Broad, J Buttler, Z Crawley, S Curran, J Denly, B Foakes, K Jennings, J Leach, M Parkinson, O Pope, D Sibley, B Stokes, C Woakes, M Wood.