The England and Wales Cricket Board have announced a training group of 55 players ahead of the delayed start of the 2020 season but have left out World Cup winning bowler Liam Plunkett and disgraced batsman Alex Hales.

14 uncapped players have also been added to the large group, which could prove detrimental to any international future for 35-year old Plunkett as he reaches the twilight of his career.

Exclusion for Hales follows his being dropped last summer on the eve of the ODI World Cup after he failed a recreational drug test for a second time.

Despite Hales being in form throughout the winter in the Australian Big Bash T20 League, England’s limited-overs captain Eoin Morgan said that ’more time’ was needed before the opening batsman could rejoin the side.

The 55-strong group has not been specifically named as the pool for international selection, but is highly likely to be the crop from which players are chosen.

It has not yet been revealed as to which players are specific to each of the formats of the game which could prove interesting in regard to players such as Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root, who all play both red and white ball cricket.

ECB Performance Director Mo Bobat said: "It's really pleasing to be in a position to have players returning to training and a huge amount of work has been done by many to get us this far. 

“The pool of players will give selectors strong options when it comes to selecting squads across formats further down the line, as we move closer to our aim of playing international cricket this summer.”

A number of fast bowlers returned to training last week at various grounds around the country including England’s leading Test wicket-taker James Anderson and World Cup winner Chris Woakes.

The remainder of the 55-strong group will begin individualised training at 11 County venues over the next few weeks.

Strict social distancing measures will be in place as well as safety principles and hygiene measures.

The ECB remain hopeful that the international summer of cricket can get underway with a three-Test series against the West Indies currently pencilled in for the beginning of July.

A board meeting to make a final decision on this was scheduled for Friday but has been delayed.

The full squad of 55 is as follows:

Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow , Tom Banton , Dom Bess, Sam Billings, James Bracey, Stuart Broad, Henry Brookes, Pat Brown, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Brydon Carse, Mason Crane, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Liam Dawson, Joe Denly, Ben Duckett, Laurie Evans, Ben Foakes, Richard Gleeson, Lewis Gregory, Sam Hain, Tom Helm, Will Jacks, Keaton Jennings, Chris Jordan, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Liam Livingstone, Saqib Mahmood, Dawid Malan, Eoin Morgan, Craig Overton, Jamie Overton, Matt Parkinson, Ollie Pope, Adil Rashid, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Phil Salt, Dom Sibley, Ben Stokes, Olly Stone, Reece Topley, James Vince, Amar Virdi, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood