Joe Root will give the marginalised Vitality Blast a boost by playing for Yorkshire in Wednesday’s opening-round fixture against Worcestershire at Headingley.
Former England captain Root will line up alongside fellow first Test squad member Harry Brook, established Twenty20 internationals Adil Rashid and Dawid Malan plus Pakistan stars Shadab Khan and Haris Rauf as 20-over action makes an earlier entrance to the domestic scene than last summer.
In contrast, Jonny Bairstow will be given time to reacclimatise and Worcestershire captain Moeen Ali is taking a week-long break post Indian Premier League and therefore misses the first three fixtures for the 2018 champions.