Stokes not an automatic selection: Bayliss

Ben Stokes is not guaranteed to walk back into the England team when he eventually returns in New Zealand next month, according to head coach Trevor Bayliss.

Stokes has not featured for his country since his arrest on a night out in Bristol in September and, having been charged with affray, he is now set to appear at Bristol Magistrates' Court on February 13.

That is the exact date the England and Wales Cricket Board had earmarked for the allrounder's international comeback, in a Twenty20 tri-series match against the Black Caps in Wellington.

News of Stokes' court date clashing with his proposed return will have been met with frustration at the ECB, which had issued plans for his restoration to the national set-up less than 24 hours earlier and must now revise those from scratch.

Bayliss is pleased to have a player who has just been named in the International Cricket Council's Test and one-day teams of 2017 available once again but remains careful not to tread on the toes of those who have carried the baton in his five-month absence.

"From the coach or selector's point of view, there's nothing better than having a difficult decision like that," he said.

"If we play well in these next four games and we win, it might be very, very difficult for him to come straight back in. In the last couple of years you probably wouldn't have been able to say that but where this team have got to - this one-day team - is a great position to be in.

"One of the reasons that we have been successful in the one-day game is because we have more than 11 blokes competing for 11 spots."

Jos Buttler, the limited-overs vice-captain, insists the squad will be delighted to have the allrounder back.

"I think anyone who has come across Ben will know that if there is ever a guy who will be able to manage these kind of things and come out of the other side of it very well it is Ben," he said.

"He's one of the best players in the world and having him come back into our team is fantastic."