All-rounder Sam Curran has been called up for England's Twenty20 series against the West Indies, replacing the rested Moeen Ali.
Moeen was initially named in the squad for the final three fixtures of the Caribbean tour but the selectors have had a change of heart as they continue to manage the workloads of key players.
He will now fly home after the final one-day international in St Lucia on March 2, joining Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler in missing the series. All three have been granted two weeks off before joining up with their Indian Premier League franchises.
🚨 IT20 SQUAD UPDATE 🚨 Moeen Ali will leave the tour after the 5th ODI in St Lucia and is replaced in the IT20 squad by @CurranSM. pic.twitter.com/Z7s72Z6rXM
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) February 26, 2019
Curran is also heading to the IPL for the first time having earned a big-money deal with Sunrisers Hyderabad – but he has already enjoyed some time off after being overlooked for the ongoing one-day leg.
The Surrey left-armer has played nine Tests and two ODIs but is yet to be capped in the shortest format.
England run the risk of criticism by opting to remove a third first-choice player from international duty in order to facilitate a break before IPL duty. National selector Ed Smith resisted that interpretation when announcing the original T20 squad, insisting it was a pragmatic approach in a year that culminates with this summer's World Cup and Ashes double-header.
"I have not favoured franchise cricket over internationals. That's not the case," he said earlier this month.
"There's an incredible period of cricket coming up...I would view it as an unusual set of circumstances and as us responding to them in the best possible interests of English cricket."
Jason Roy is also leaving after the fifth ODI, ensuring he will be back for the birth of his first child.
