Uncapped Liam Dawson is the surprise inclusion in England's ICC World Twenty20 squad to travel to India next month.

The Hampshire all-rounder has progressed sufficiently with England Lions to convince the selectors his slow left-arm variety is their best option as a third spinner in sub-continental conditions.

Dawson, who will join England in South Africa next week to shadow the Twenty20 squad in action for two matches in Cape Town and Johannesburg, will have an opportunity then to impress head coach Trevor Bayliss.

The Australian admits he has yet to see Dawson play, but was encouraged by both his ability and his attitude during Lions practice sessions in the United Arab Emirates before Christmas.

Hampshire all-rounder Dawson and frontline seamer Steven Finn, reportedly recovering well from injury, are the only additions for the global tournament to the T20 squad to face South Africa at the end of the ongoing tour.

Chris Woakes is the omission from that 14-man party, to make way for Dawson as an extra spinner and back-up to Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali.

Asked what he knows of Dawson, Bayliss said: "Not a real lot.

"I haven't actually seen him play a game.

"He came to a practice when we were out in the UAE, and he was there with the Lions."

Dawson's character, as well as his cricket, has already struck a chord with Bayliss.

He added: "I went to one or two of their practices and saw him in the nets. From a bowling point of view, he gets a bit on the ball, and he looks as though he's got something about him personality-wise.

"He can bat as well, and he's a good fielder apparently."

It was confirmed in Wednesday morning's squad announcement that there will be no place for Kevin Pietersen, the mercurial batsman whose exile from the national team has extended beyond two years since he was axed after England's 2013-14 whitewash Ashes defeat.

Bayliss made it clear that a Pietersen return simply is not on the agenda.

"He wasn't even discussed in the selection meeting," he said.

"Everyone is very happy with the young team we've got ... we've played very well in Twenty20 cricket over the last six months.

"We just want to move forward with that young team."

Dawson's chance to press for a place in it came as a shock to him, via a telephone call from national selector James Whitaker over the weekend.

The 25-year-old recalled: "He said 'Well done on the winter', then asked if I'd booked any holidays for March.

"Luckily I hadn't - because then he told me I was in the Twenty20 squad.

"I definitely wasn't expecting it. It's a dream come true - you do all that training as a kid hoping it might happen one day.

"It's obviously an amazing tournament to be involved in - especially being in India as well, which will be an exciting thing to experience."

Woakes is "very unlucky", according to Bayliss, to be missing the trip.

He said: "With the World (T20) being in India, we've decided to take three spinners on that trip.

"He's disappointed, but that's the way it goes sometimes.

"If it was maybe somewhere else in the world, he could have maybe been one of the lucky ones.

"But I'm sure he'll continue to work hard, and he's certainly still part of our plans going forward."

Finn, meanwhile, is back on track to lead the attack as he continues his recovery from the side strain which ended his South Africa tour early.

The tall seamer is about to start bowling again in the nets and Bayliss said: "He's coming along very well apparently.

"There was a chance he could have been available for the last Twenty20 match here. But we decided 'let's not take too many chances and make sure he's right for the World Cup'."

England will be accompanied in India by both Mahela Jayawardene and Paul Collingwood, following their coaching stints on tour in the UAE.

Collingwood led England on the pitch to their only global trophy, the 2010 ICC World Twenty20 in West Indies, and Jayawardene won the latest edition of the same tournament with Sri Lanka.

England and Wales Cricket Board director Andrew Strauss said: "Mahela Jayawardene and Paul Collingwood proved very popular additions to the coaching team when they spent time with England in the UAE earlier this winter, and I'm delighted that they are both able to help our T20 side.

"Their international experience, previous success at World T20 tournaments and - particularly in Mahela's case - knowledge of conditions make them ideal resources to tap into.

"I have no doubt the players will gain a huge amount from having them around the dressing room."

 

England squad: 

Eoin Morgan (Middlesex) (Capt)                     
Moeen Ali (Worcestershire)
Sam Billings (Kent)
Jos Buttler (Lancashire)
Liam Dawson (Hampshire)
Steven Finn (Middlesex)
Alex Hales (Nottinghamshire)
Chris Jordan (Sussex)
Adil Rashid (Yorkshire)
Joe Root (Yorkshire)
Jason Roy (Surrey)
Ben Stokes (Durham)
Reece Topley (Hampshire)
James Vince (Hampshire)
David Willey (Yorkshire)