ENG vs SL 2021: Jonny Bairstow gets England Test recall, will miss BBL

Jonny Bairstow has been recalled to England's Test squad for the January 2021 tour to Sri Lanka, which will force him to miss the 2020/21 Big Bash League (BBL). The wicket-keeper batsman has recently found form in the T20I series against South Africa.

The two-test series will clash with the BBL, forcing Bairstow to withdraw from the T20 tournament. Bairstow hasn't played a test match since the Boxing Day Test against South Africa last year. The defeat to the Proteas, combined with his poor form, saw him get dropped from the Test squad, even though he remains a key player for England's limited-overs side.

Bairstow's absence will be a big blow to BBL franchise Melbourne Stars. The Englishman was due to make his BBL debut, but will now miss out. It remains to be seen if Melbourne will now draft in a replacement player. West Indies batsman Nicholas Pooran and Afghanistan's Zahir Khan are their other overseas players. BBL franchises are allowed to have three overseas players in the team starting from this season.

Jofra Archer to be rested by England for Sri Lanka tour

England are set to name a big squad for the tour to Sri Lanka to deal with the COVID-19 restrictions. Jos Buttler and Ben Foakes are also set to be named in the squad. Moeen Ali will also be hopeful of a return to the side.

Jofra Archer is set to be rested for the tour to Sri Lanka. The England pacer has been playing non-stop since August and will skip the Sri Lanka tour. Archer will also be rested for the ODI series against South Africa, as England is looking to manage his workload to avoid injuries.

England will tour Sri Lanka for a two-match Test series, which begins on 14th January. The tour was originally scheduled to take place in March 2020, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.