File photo: Ravi Bopara
© AP
England selectors on Wednesday announced a 16-man squad for the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka. The squad will depart for the seven-match ODI series against Sri Lanka on November 16. Nottinghamshire batsman James Taylor, who has been capped twice for England in the 50-over format, is included in a one-day squad for the first time since September 2013 and is joined by Essex batsman Ravi Bopara who missed out on selection for the most recent one-day series against India.
Six seam bowlers all of whom played for England this summer will travel to Sri Lanka, while Stuart Broad remains unavailable for selection while he continues his recovery from a knee operation. Alastair Cook will be the captain.
National selector, James Whitaker, said: "With the ICC Cricket World Cup less than five months away we are very aware that our one-day cricket needs to develop quickly if we are to arrive at the competition ready to compete with the very best sides in the world.
"This tour to Sri Lanka allows the players and management to focus fully on improving skills in limited overs cricket ahead of final selection for the Cricket World Cup. While conditions in Australia and New Zealand will differ to those the squad experiences in Sri Lanka we can still make significant strides forward as a side during the series.
"Congratulations to James Taylor who has been rewarded for his outstanding form for Nottinghamshire this season and fully deserves another opportunity in the international arena. While Gary Ballance will I'm sure be disappointed to miss out on this tour he knows he remains a very important part of our plans."
England squad: Alastair Cook (Essex) (captain), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), James Anderson (Lancashire), Ian Bell (Warwickshire), Ravi Bopara (Essex), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Steven Finn (Middlesex), Harry Gurney (Nottinghamshire), Alex Hales (Nottinghamshire), Chris Jordan (Sussex), Eoin Morgan (Middlesex), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Ben Stokes (Durham), James Taylor (Nottinghamshire), James Tredwell (Kent), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire).
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