LONDON: England recalled wicketkeeper Craig Kieswetter and allrounder Samit Patel to its limited-overs squad on Tuesday for the forthcoming Twenty20 match and one-day international series against Sri Lanka.
Test wicketkeeper Matt Prior, who was part of England's World Cup squad on the subcontinent, makes way for the return of Kieswetter, a big-hitting batsman who opens the innings.
The last of Patel's 11 one-day caps came in November 2008 but he has worked hard to improve his fitness levels as he sought a way back into the international reckoning.
“Samit is one of a number of players, like Craig Kieswetter, who comes back into the limited-overs set-up on the back of some excellent form and plenty of hard work,” national selector Geoff Miller said.
Former limited-overs captain Paul Collingwood wasn't included in either squad after only recently returning from a knee injury.
“His omission is purely down to form over a period of time and we look forward to him getting plenty of cricket under his belt for (county side) Durham as he presses to reclaim a place in the England limited-overs set-up,” Miller said.
In leadership changes announced after the World Cup, opener Alastair Cook will captain the ODI side and fast bowler Stuart Broad will be in charge of the T20 team, which plays its sole fixture against the Sri Lankans at Bristol on Saturday.
That is followed by five ODIs, with the series starting June 28.
“After the recent World Cup, which was a natural watershed, we'll be looking to play an exciting brand of limited-overs cricket against one of the best one-day sides in the world in Sri Lanka,” Miller said.
Squads: Twenty20: Stuart Broad (captain), Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Jade Dernbach, Steven Finn, Craig Kieswetter, Michael Lumb, Eoin Morgan, Samit Patel, Kevin Pietersen, Graeme Swann, Chris Woakes, Luke Wright
One-day internationals: Alastair Cook (captain), James Anderson, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Stuart Broad, Jade Dernbach, Steven Finn, Craig Kieswetter, Eoin Morgan, Samit Patel, Kevin Pietersen, Graeme Swann, Jonathan Trott, Chris Woakes.
Dear visitor, the comments section is undergoing an overhaul and will return soon.