New Zealand include IPL players in squad for England Test series
- Published
Wicketkeeper Cam Fletcher will be on his first overseas tour with the New Zealand Test squad
New Zealand have named an enlarged 20-player squad for the three-Test tour of England which begins on 2 June.
Five players at the Indian Premier League, including captain Kane Williamson plus pace bowlers Trent Boult and Tim Southee, are included.
But they are set to miss both warm-up games so four uncapped players travel.
All-rounder Michael Bracewell, bowler Blair Tickner, wicketkeeper Cam Fletcher and seamer Jacob Duffy will all bolster the touring party.
All bar Fletcher have played white-ball cricket for the national side.
Opener Devon Conway and all-rounder Daryl Mitchell are the two other IPL players in the squad.
The Black Caps plan to cut the squad to 15 following the four-day warm-up games which start on 20 and 26 May.
The regular IPL season ends on 22 May before the play-offs conclude with the final in Ahmedabad on 29 May.
"All going to plan we will have everyone fit and available for the first Test at Lord's, and aim to announce our final squad of 15 for that series once we've completed our warm-up games," head coach Gary Stead said.
Last year, New Zealand beat England 1-0 in a two-Test series and overcame India in Southampton to win the inaugural World Test Championship.
Batter Ross Taylor and BJ Watling are two from those successes missing from the 2022 squad, having both since retired.
Williamson, third in the Test batting rankings, has not played a Test since November because an elbow injury.
The series opener at Lord's will be England's first Test under new captain Ben Stokes and since the appointment of Rob Key as managing director of men's cricket.
Squad in full: Kane Williamson (c), Tom Blundell (wk), Trent Boult, Michael Bracewell, Devon Conway, Colin de Grandhomme, Jacob Duffy, Cameron Fletcher, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Ajaz Patel, Rachin Ravindra, Hamish Rutherford, Tim Southee, Blair Tickner, Neil Wagner, Will Young.