Dan Lawrence named in England squad for two-Test tour of New Zealand

Dan Lawrence is the surprise selection in England’s 15-man squad for their two-Test tour of New Zealand in February – but there is no place for teenage spin sensation Rehan Ahmed.

Essex batter Lawrence owes his return to the continued absence of Jonny Bairstow, who has still not recovered from the badly broken leg suffered in a freak accident on his local golf course.

There are also bowling recalls for Olly Stone, Matthew Potts and Stuart Broad, who missed the historic whitewash of Pakistan to be with his newly-born daughter while Mark Wood is rested after a busy winter in Pakistan and at the Twenty20 World Cup,

Lawrence (left) is seen batting alongside Joe Root during the West Indies series in March

Rehan Ahmed is left out of the squad despite impressing during the whitewash of Pakistan

England’s modern thinking is reflected by their decision to allow certain players to play franchise cricket early in the new year because, in the case of Ahmed at least, they believe it is better for their all-round development.

The 18-year-old leg-spinner, who took seven wickets on his Test debut in the whitewash clinching third Test win in Karachi, will play in the inaugural T20 league in Abu Dhabi in January and is then likely to feature in England’s three-match 50-over series in Bangladesh in March.

Meanwhile Joe Root, who has been rested for the three-match one-day series in South Africa in January, is allowed to play ‘a handful’ of matches in the UAE before having a short break and then going to New Zealand because England feel that is the best way for him to be ready for the 50-over World Cup in India in October.