England included uncapped spin bowling all-rounder Jacob Bethell in a 16-man squad announced on Tuesday for their upcoming Test tour of New Zealand, with wicketkeeper-batsman Jamie Smith omitted due to paternity leave. 

Barbados-born Bethell, who made his T20 and ODI debuts against Australia last month, has only featured in 20 first-class matches and has a modest batting average of 25.44, without a century in any form of professional cricket. Bethell is the only change to a Test squad recently beaten 2-1 in a three-match series away to Pakistan.