5 players who could be named in England’s Test squad for the first time against Sri Lanka

#2 Joe Denly (Kent)

Denly has been a big part of Kent's promotion push this season

Denly is a man who already has some international experience, having played in nine ODIs and five T20 internationals earlier in his career. He is 32 now, so may not be the long-term option for England, but he is certainly capable of doing a job over the next couple of years.

On paper, his statistics aren’t the best, averaging just over 36 with the bat in his long career, but he is a better player than those numbers suggest.

He has had a good season in Kent’s run to the County Championship Division Two season, during which he has scored three hundreds and three fifties. He has also had an excellent season with the white ball, where he helped Kent to the T20 Blast quarter-finals and the One Day Cup Final.

Something which may go in Denly’s favour is the fact he is more than capable with the ball in hand. It is not his strongest suit, but as a leg-spinner, he offers England another spin option, which could be crucial in Sri Lankan conditions.