Ankle injury rules Joe Denly out of New Zealand T20Is

The top-order batsman did not make the XI in England's seven-wicket victory in the opening T20I in Christchurch, but played in both warm-up matches against New Zealand XI, scoring 39 runs and bowling five overs.

However, Denly has not yet been ruled out of the Test leg of the tour, with the first Test starting on 21 November. "He will now start a rehabilitation programme and will be routinely assessed ahead of the Test series against the Black Caps starting on November 21," the ECB said in a release on Saturday, 2 November.

In his last assignment for England, Denly had a moderately successful Ashes campaign, notching up three half-centuries in the last three Tests, including an impressive 94 in the final match at The Oval.

His limited-overs career with England has been more stop-start. He made his T20I debut in 2009, but has struggled to hold down a place, playing just 10 T20Is over the years, despite impressing in T20s in general.

The series in New Zealand, in which a host of regular players have been rested, was supposed to be the ideal opportunity for Denly to make a mark in T20Is ahead of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2020. The injury will now force the 31-year-old to shift his focus on the three-match T20I series against South Africa and Australia next year.

With Jonny Bairstow and Dawid Malan opening the innings and with Tom Banton still waiting in the ranks, England have decided not to call up a replacement for Denly.