Jacob Bethell will bat at number three on his Test debut in England's series opener against New Zealand in Christchurch on Thursday.
Bethell, 21, plays after the wicketkeeper Jordan Cox was ruled out with a broken thumb.
As a result, regular number three Ollie Pope takes the gloves and slides down the order to number six, while captain Ben Stokes is at number seven.
Warwickshire left-hander Bethell has impressed in white-ball cricket for England but was a surprise selection for this tour.
Joe Root, England's all-time leading Test run-scorer, told BBC Sport: “The way his game is structured suits Test cricket. I'm really looking forward to seeing him go out and play. It’s a really exciting time for him.”
Root's father Matt and Bethell's father Graham were teammates in club cricket at Sheffield Collegiate.
“I’ve known him and his family for a long time,” Root said. “I saw him play when he was 11 or 12 years old and I could tell he was already a very accomplished player. It's been really pleasing to see him grow up, make his way at Warwickshire and more recently in the white-ball team. “Show everyone what a brilliant player he is.
Bethell's promotion comes after he secured his first Indian Premier League contract with Royal Challengers Bangalore.
He has never made a century in senior professional cricket and has never batted higher than number four in his 20 first-class matches.
“There are a number of players whose game is better suited to Test cricket than first-class cricket. Michael Vaughan is a great example of this,” Root added.
“I don’t think you can read too much into it. He hasn’t really found a place in Warwickshire – he’s been in and out of the team and has moved up and down the rankings easily.”
“This is a great opportunity for him, a blank canvas in a position where he can really impact the game. He can just go play, enjoy it, and I expect him to do just that.”
Bethell is the latest bold selection from England, who are coming into the competition on the back of three defeats in their last four Tests, following a 2-1 series defeat in Pakistan last month.
The first Test at Hagley Oval (Thursday 11:00 local time, Wednesday 22:00 GMT) begins a three-match series, followed by games in Wellington and Hamilton.
