Rory Burns is one of three uncapped players selected by England for their 16-man Test squad for the tour of Sri Lanka in November.

Burns has been selected to take over from Alastair Cook at the top of the order, following the latter’s retirement at the end of the Test series against India.

Olly Stone and Joe Denly are the other two uncapped players heading for the island nation.

Burns has enjoyed a hugely successful season, racking up 1,319 runs at an average of 69.00 as Surrey romped home to the County Championship title.

The 28-year-old has now scored over 1,000 first-class runs in each of the last five seasons.

‘Rory has been the most consistent run-scorer in county cricket in recent seasons and fully deserves his elevation to the Test squad,’ said Ed Smith, England’s national selector.

Keaton Jennings retains his place in the side and is likely to open with Burns in the first Test in Galle.

‘Joe Denly has had an excellent season with bat and ball and has matured into one of the leading players in county cricket,’ added Smith. ‘He has that all-round touch of class that can help at the highest level.’

Denly also brings useful leg-spin to the equation, which would have interested the selectors considering the conditions in Sri Lanka.

‘Olly Stone is an exciting talent who bowls with pace and skill,’ said Smith said of the 24-year-old who plays for Warwickshire. ‘His 37 wickets in the County Championship have come at an average of 12.27 and a strike rate of 22.22.’

England Test squad for Sri Lanka tour 
Joe Root (Yorkshire) captain
Moeen Ali (Worcestershire)
Jimmy Anderson (Lancashire)
Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire), wicketkeeper
Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire)
Rory Burns (Surrey)
Jos Buttler (Lancashire)
Sam Curran (Surrey)
Joe Denly (Kent)
Keaton Jennings (Lancashire)
Jack Leach (Somerset)
Ollie Pope (Surrey)
Adil Rashid (Yorkshire)
Ben Stokes (Durham)
Olly Stone (Warwickshire)
Chris Woakes (Warwickshire)

Photo: Stu Forster/Getty Images