England omit Pietersen for New Zealand series

Kevin Pietersen has been omitted from England's one-day squads for their tour of New Zealand next year as England's selectors have accepted that he needs to rest to survive a heavy international schedule.

Formal rest periods have become ever more prevalent in England cricket, but Pietersen's absence from the New Zealand squads as England look to manage his workload is nevertheless a notable concession to the player so soon after his lengthy dispute with the England hierarchy.

Geoff Miller, England's national selector, said: "There are a number of players who we have decided not to select for parts of the competitive programme this winter as we look to manage their workloads effectively while ensuring we remain competitive across all formats. We feel this is the best way of keeping players as physically and mentally fresh as possible during a demanding 2013 and beyond.

"Kevin Pietersen will miss the limited overs tour of New Zealand with Graeme Swann missing the T20 leg of the tour. This approach also provides an opportunity for talented young players to gain more international experience which will be important for their development and the development of England sides in the future."

Pietersen is expected to play in the Test series in March before heading to India for the IPL ahead of the English season.

Since his much-publicised "reintegration" into the England set-up Pietersen has missed two Twenty20 series despite being one of the world's most outstanding players in this format. He was also rested for the two matches against India, but England still drew the series 1-1 after winning in Mumbai and registered their highest winning total in Twenty20 cricket in the process.

England's introduction of a job share in their coaching set-up, with Andy Flower running the Test squad and Ashley Giles taking charge of the the ODI and Twenty20 sides in the New Year, supervised by Flower as overall team director, is another recognition of cricket's demanding calendar.

England have played 44 matches in all formats this year and the ECB has now accepted that for players and management rest periods are essential if they are to maintain hunger, fitness and a stable family life.

England's T20 squad in New Zealand shows two changes from the original India party with Stuart Broad, recovered from a heel injury, returning to captain the side and Steven Finn also called up after back trouble. Jonny Bairstow, who left the T20 series against India early for personal reasons, is also named. England play two warm-up fixtures against a New Zealand XI in preparation for a three-match series starting on February 9 in Auckland.

For the three match ODI series, which begins on February 17 in Hamilton, Swann, James Anderson and Jonathan Trott return to the side after being rested for the ODI tour of India. As well as announcing squads for all three formats in New Zealand, England's selectors also put Joe Root in charge of the England Lions one-day tour of Australia in February, barely a week after his mentor, the former England captain Michael Vaughan, had identified him as a future England captain.

Root, who made his England Test debut earlier this month against India, will captain a Lions side in five one-day matches against Australia A which includes 12 members of the 2012 England Performance who have recently returned from India.

Reece Topley, Essex's left-arm quick bowler, has an opportunity to win his first England Lions cap alongside Gary Ballance, Varun Chopra, Ben Foakes, Toby Roland-Jones and Chris Wright.

Twenty20 squad: Stuart Broad (capt), Jonny Bairstow, Tim Bresnan, Danny Briggs, Jos Buttler, Jade Dernbach, Steven Finn, Alex Hales, Michael Lumb, Stuart Meaker, Eoin Morgan, Samit Patel, James Tredwell, Luke Wright.

ODI squad: Alastair Cook (capt), James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Ian Bell, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Steven Finn, Craig Kieswetter, Eoin Morgan, Samit Patel, Graeme Swann, James Tredwell, Jonathan Trott.

Lions squad: Joe Root, Gary Balance, Scott Borthwick, Danny Briggs, Varun Chopra, Matthew Coles, Ben Foakes, Alex Hales, James Harris, Simon Kerrigan, Toby Roland-Jones, Ben Stokes, James Taylor, Reece Topley, James Vince, Chris Wright.