England coach Trevor Bayliss has left the door open for Alex Hales to return to the England fold after this summer's World Cup.
Hales was named in England's preliminary 15-man World Cup squad, only to be dropped last week after a newspaper report said the 30-year-old was serving a 21-day ban for a second positive drugs test.
Bayliss confirmed Hales would not return for the World Cup but he believes the Nottinghamshire batsman has a future with England going forward.
He told Sky Sports: "Alex still has an international future. I have spoken to him and given him that message. It's certainly not the end of him.
"He's been a very important part of this team over the last five or six years or more. There's no reason why he can't come back."
Bayliss backed the decision, saying it sends out an important message to England cricket.
He added: "It was a decision not just solely made by the players, I was involved in that decision as well. Morgs (limited-overs captain Eoin Morgan) and I had a long chat about it. He certainly asked the players their thoughts.
"I think we've come to the right decision. I think the message it sends, not just to the rest of this group but to the rest of English cricket down through county level, that culture, the way we go about things (is important). Being respected off the field as well as on it.
"This team has gone about things in the right way and in the last 18 months or so they've made strides. They're working very hard to make things right."
Bayliss issued an injury update ahead of Wednesday's first one-day international match against Pakistan, revealing he would have a full squad available to him if necessary.
But he has vowed to "mix and match" in a bid to give different players game time, with Moeen Ali and Jason Roy set to be rested as a precaution.
Speaking about the duo, Bayliss told BBC Test Match Special: "They are both fine. If we really needed them to play tomorrow, they would play. It's more precautionary than anything else.
"We have a lot of games before the World Cup and the World Cup is the most important thing. They could play if we needed them to, but they don't need to and it gives us a chance to play some of the other guys.
"We have guys with a niggle. We will mix and match a little bit, try to give everyone some game time, because I do think that the World Cup will be won by the most in-form squad.
"It's important that those fringe players have some game time and are up to speed.
"If the World Cup final was tomorrow, everyone would be available."
Bayliss believes the England selectors have a "difficult decision" to make following the impressive recent form of newcomer Jofra Archer.
On the Barbados-born all-rounder, Bayliss added: "He's fitted in really well. In Ireland he was nervous, and you could tell that.
"He's bowled pretty well. It will be a difficult decision for the selectors."
