England Cricket Team on Friday announced a 16-men squad for the two-match Test Series against Sri Lanka starting next month. The two-match series will be looked as a preparation for the four-match series against India that takes place subsequently.
The announcement marked the expected return of wicket-keeper batsman Jonny Bairstow and spinning all-rounder Moeen Ali in the Test squad. Alongside those two, Ben Foakes was named in the squad as well, with Dan Lawrence also receiving a call-up.
Among the notable missings, star all-rounder Ben Stokes and fast bowler Jofra Archer were rested keeping in mind the workload and managing the bio-bubble fatigue of the players.
Opening batsman Rory Burns will also miss the tour as his wife is expecting their first child in the second week of January.
Ollie Pope, who is still recovering from the shoulder injury sustained during the English summer against Pakistan will travel with the team and will continue his rehab to be fit in time for the four-match Test series against India starting in February.
The two games will be played behind closed doors. England will leave for the island country a day after the New Year's Day and will train and prepare at Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium in Hambantota before the series takes off in Galle.
The two matches will take place from January 14-18 and January 22-26, 2021.
Squad: Joe Root(c), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Dom Bess, Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Ben Foakes, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Dom Sibley, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.
Reserves: James Bracey, Mason Crane, Saqib Mahmood, Craig Overton, Matthew Parkinson, Ollie Robinson, Amar Virdi.
