Bairstow blow for Stars, but Fletcher signed up as cover

The Melbourne Stars have been dealt an enormous blow on the eve of their KFC BBL campaign, confirming boom recruit Jonny Bairstow's stint is over before it even begun.

The club announced Thursday that West Indian Andre Fletcher has been signed as a replacement but while the experienced keeper-batsman will provide solid cover, the loss of Bairstow is a considerable setback for last season's runners-up.

The Stars have been blindsided by Bairstow's expected recall to England's Test squad for their tour of Sri Lanka, with coach David Hussey telling cricket.com.au only last week of his excitement at potentially pairing the explosive right-hander with Marcus Stoinis at the top of the order.

England have yet to confirm their Test squad for Sri Lanka, but the Stars said Bairstow has been "recalled" by the ECB and had to withdraw from the BBL.

"We're naturally disappointed Jonny won't be able to link up with us this season but we wish him well on his recall and England's winter tours," Hussey said in a statement.

Fletcher helped the St Lucia Zouks reach the Caribbean Premier League final earlier this year and has played more than 200 T20 games around the world.

The 33-year-old was part of West Indies' 2016 T20 World Cup winning squad. He is currently in New Zealand with the Windies T20 squad along with fellow Stars signing Nicholas Pooran.

Pooran's selection in a West Indies' A side that is playing two four-day games in New Zealand will delay his arrival into Australia.

One silver lining of Fletcher's inclusion is that he is expected to be available for the club's first game (and remain available through most of January) next week whereas Bairstow was not going to be available until after Christmas.

Pakistani Dilbar Hussain and Afghanistan spinner Zahir Khan are the club's other overseas signings.

"I'm really looking forward to coming over to the Melbourne Stars and being part of what should be an exciting season ahead. Hopefully I can bring my brand of batting and recent form to the Stars during the BBL," said Fletcher.

Hussey added: "We're glad Andre was in a position to join us and he'll bring plenty of power and entertainment at the top of the batting order.

"Andre is a former T20 World Cup winner with the West Indies so he knows what it takes to succeed in major tournaments and I'm confident he'll be a great asset around our group."

Despite establishing himself as a key part of England's feared white-ball teams, Bairstow has been out of favour in the longest format with Jos Buttler instead preferred as the team's wicketkeeper.

But Bairstow has played as a specialist batter before and has six Test centuries to his name, with his most recent one in fact coming on England's last tour to Sri Lanka two years ago from No.3 when he did not have the gloves.

The Stars had worked tirelessly to land Bairstow's signature and Hussey was looking forward to unleashing a world-class top-order featuring him, Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell.

"Jonny Bairstow is arguably one of the world's best white ball players," Hussey told cricket.com.au last week. "It took a lot of work to get him across the line.

"He's stupidly brave when it comes to batting, he plays some ridiculous ramp shots against some of the quickest bowlers in the world. He takes the bowlers on from ball one, he's just a courageous character who plays the game at 100 miles an hour.

"He's got a very good cricket brain and his will to win is what gets him over the line – he's almost half-Australian really, he plays the game in such a manner that he wants to win at all costs."

Squad: Glenn Maxwell (c), Hilton Cartwright, Jackson Coleman, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Ben Dunk, Andre Fletcher (OS)*, Seb Gotch, Liam Hatcher, Clint Hinchliffe, Dilbar Hussain (OS), Zahir Khan (OS), Nick Larkin, Nic Maddinson, Lance Morris, Tom O’Connell, Nicholas Pooran (OS), Will Pucovski, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa.