Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane, who has scored 26 goals in all competitions for Spurs this season, was named in the senior England squad for the first time by coach Roy Hodgson on Thursday.

Hodgson named the squad for the Euro 2016 qualifier against Lithuania and the friendly against Italy later this month including Kane, 21, who is the top scoring Englishman in the Premier League with 16 goals.

There was also a recall for Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge who was injured in September for England and has missed the last five internationals, but there was no place for Danny Ings, Ryan Mason or Charlie Austin.

Hodgson says he shares the overall excitement about Kane’s outstanding form this season.

“His rise has been fantastic since he broke into the Tottenham squad, he’s done so well,” he told a press conference.

“It would have been much more of a surprise had he not been selected than him being selected and we’re delighted to welcome him to the fold and try and help him establish himself because he’s like a lot of the players in our squad.

“They are young but some of them have gone on, having been given their chance to really establish themselves and we hope that is going to happen for Harry as well.

“We do know quite a lot about him, not least of all from his work with the Under-21s. I worked with him myself for a period of two or three days when I took charge of the Under-21 team.

“We know him, we know about him and what he can do on the football field is clear for all to see because he’s been doing it week in and week out for Tottenham so he deserves his chance and we’re happy that he’s with us.”

But Hodgson was keen to keep thoughts on the present when asked whether he would like to extend his deal beyond 2016.

“I want to make certain that I do the job for which I’m currently contracted for to the best of my ability and make sure there are no slip-ups along the way,” he said.

“The fact is it’s a magnificent job and I’m really pleased to have this job and to be given the chance to do this job.

“At the moment, the fact that the players and the people who employ me seem comfortable with me and as comfortable with me as I am with them, that’s enough for me.

“I don’t need to look further at this stage in my career. We’ll see what transpires, we’ll see what happens and when the day comes we’ll discuss it. I don’t want to out stay any welcome that’s for sure, we’ll see what happens.”

English squad

Goalkeepers

Fraser Forster (Southampton), Joe Hart (Manchester City)

Defenders

Leighton Baines (Everton), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Nathaniel Clyne (Southampton), Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Phil Jones (Manchester United), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), Chris Smalling (Manchester United), Kyle Walker (Tottenham)

Midfielders

Ross Barkley (Everton), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Fabian Delph (Aston Villa), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Adam Lallana (Liverpool), James Milner (Man City), Raheem Sterling (Liverpool), Andros Townsend (Tottenham), Theo Walcott (Arsenal)

Forwards

Harry Kane (Tottenham), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool), Danny Welbeck (Arsenal).