by England will not take rising star Rehan Ahmed to New Zealand for the next Test series as they try to manage the 18-year-old’s rapid transition to international cricket.
Ahmed became the country’s youngest-ever male Test cricketer when he lined up against Pakistan in Karachi last week, breaking Brian Close’s 1949 record, and he celebrated with a decisive five-pointer.
The leg turner has toured for Leicestershire, playing just three first-class matches, and England have made it clear that they will take a careful approach to his development.
February’s Tests at Mount Maunganui and Wellington will not be in favor of the spin, and while Jack Leach retains his first-choice status, Ahmed did not make the 15-man roster.
Instead, he will go to play in the UAE T20 league for the first time in Bangladesh in March to link up with England’s white ball team.
Mark Wood, who played a key role in the T20 World Cup win and the historic 3-0 Test win in Pakistan, was given a rest from all cricket to prevent further injuries ahead of the Ashes.
Wood missed the entire British summer with elbow problems and struggled with fitness issues throughout his career.
England are also wary of Jofra Archer, who was picked 24 hours earlier for an ODI trip to South Africa in January but will have to wait longer to return to long form cricket after almost two years on the sidelines.
Bowling stocks are replenished by the vast experience of Stuart Broad, who sat on the last Pakistani series due to the arrival of his first child, Matthew Potts from Durham and Olly Stone from Warwickshire.
Potts got off to a great start to his Test career over the summer, averaging 20 goals in 28 games over five games, but has yet to be seen over the winter.
Another player who has been repeatedly derailed due to injury issues, Stone has the chance to add to his limit of three and offers a 90mph option while Wood and Archer rest.
The other three players who took part in England’s first Test trip to Pakistan in 17 years were not included. Liam Livingstone was injured in his first game at Rawalpindi, while opening players Keaton Jennings and Jamie Overton, who were not included in the three-game series, left the game.
Essex batsman Dan Lawrence has the opportunity to launch his England hopes for the first time under the leadership of head coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes. injury and modest form.
England’s New Zealand squad: B Stokes (c), J Anderson, S Broad, H Brook, Z Crawley, B Duckett, B Foakes, W Jacks, D Lawrence, J Leach, O Pope, M Potts, O Robinson, J Root, O Stone.
