Ollie Robinson and James Bracey included in England squad for New Zealand Tests

Craig Overton is recalled after impressing for Somerset in the opening weeks of the LV=Insurance County Championship

Sir Ian Botham is getting the 1981 gang back together

Jofra Archer ruled out of New Zealand Test series with elbow concerns

Uncapped pair Ollie Robinson and James Bracey are the headline selections in England's 15-strong squad for the two-Test series against New Zealand.

Craig Overton, who has played four Tests the last coming in the Ashes in September 2019, has earned a recall to a group that is affected by high-profile absences.

Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer are both ruled out with finger and elbow injuries respectively.

Archer, who played for Sussex against Kent in the LV=Insurance County Championship last week, will see a consultant this week regarding his troublesome elbow problem which had dogged him for a long period.

Stokes, meanwhile, is said to be making "excellent progress" in his recovery from a fractured left index finger suffered during the IPL and will play for Durham next month in the T20 Blast in an effort to ramp up his recovery.

Multi-format players Moeen Ali, Jonathan Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran and Chris Woakes have all been rested after spells in quarantine following the postponed Indian Premier League, but will return to their counties in due course.

Dom Bess has been cut from the squad which lost 3-1 in India.

Head coach and selector Chris Silverwood said: "The summer of Test cricket will be fascinating. Playing the top two teams in the world, in New Zealand and India, is perfect preparation for us as we continue to improve and progress towards an Ashes series in Australia at the back end of the year. 

"With several players not available through injury or being rested for the New Zealand series, it is an opportunity for us to reward those who have been on the fringes of England squads over the past 12 months."

New Zealand face England in Tests at Lord's (June 2-6) and Edgbaston (June 10-14) ahead of the World Test Championship final against India at The Ageas Bowl (June 18-22).

England squad: Joe Root, James Anderson, James Bracey, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Zak Crawley, Ben Foakes, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Craig Overton, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Dom Sibley, Olly Stone, Mark Wood