McCullum and Ross Taylor will return to New Zealand after the tour of Bangladesh to get in some practice against the red ball before the home test series against the West Indies, beginning in December.
McCullum is a vastly experienced player at international level but he has not played much four-day cricket over the years. His last appearance in the white clothing for Otago was in November 2011.
Since making his first-class debut in 1999-2000, McCullum has made just 19 appearances for Otago for a modest haul of 952 runs at an average of 27.20.
He has hit two centuries and four half-centuries but has made much more impact in limited-overs cricket for his province, where he averages more than 40 in one-dayers and 38.03 in twenty20.
New Zealand Cricket selector Bruce Edgar said McCullum and Taylor needed first-class cricket but also had busy summers ahead and it was important to manage playing loads.
''Ross and Brendon need red ball preparation to be at their best for the summer,'' Edgar said.
''Both players are vital to our success and fine tuning their red ball skills before the West Indies series starting in early December is paramount.''
''This summer, we have 37 days of international cricket at home and Brendon and Ross are expected to play all of these, so it's essential that we manage their workloads.''
Resting players can be a controversial move but it is increasingly becoming part of the landscape.
Taylor and McCullum are New Zealand's two best one-day batsmen, so their absence will adversely affect the Black Caps prospects in Sri Lanka.
Tim Southee is recovering from ankle surgery and will also miss the three one-dayers and two twenty20s. Wellington wicketkeeper-batsman Luke Ronchi and Otago seamer Ian Butler will join the Black Caps in Sri Lanka, while Kane Williamson will captain the team in McCullum's absence.
Otago has one Plunket Shield game between the end of the Bangladesh tour and the first tests against the West Indies, which gets under way at the University Oval in Dunedin on December 3.
It is against Canterbury at Main Power Oval in Rangiora, beginning on November 19.
Black Caps
Squad for Sri Lanka
Kane Williamson (captain), Corey Anderson, Ian Butler, Anton Devcich, Grant Elliott, Tom Latham, Mitchell McClenaghan, Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, Adam Milne, Colin Munro, James Neesham, Luke Ronchi, Hamish Rutherford.
