Ireland Name Men's Squads For Back-to-back Tours To Bangladesh, Sri Lanka
Cricket Ireland has announced five different squads that will play in multiple formats across the men's teams back-to-back tours of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in March and April 2023.
The first tour is to Bangladesh where Ireland will feature in a warm-up fixture on March 15, followed by three ODIs, as many T20Is and a Test Match. This will be the first-ever Test Match played between Ireland and Bangladesh, as well as the first multi-format series the two sides have played at senior level.
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The second tour will be to Sri Lanka, where Ireland will feature in a Test Match and two ODIs. Similarly, this will be the first-ever Test Match played between the two sides, and the first multi-format series the two sides have played at senior level. The squad will depart Dublin on March 11.
Big-hitting opener Paul Stirling will not be playing Ireland's Test matches against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. PJ Moor, the former Zimbabwe international player, is included in squads for the Test matches.
"The core piece for us around red ball cricket is that it is a bit of a blank canvas - we've obviously got a bit of work to do in that space, but it's exciting. We're not going to try and play like anyone else, we'll play our own way and that is the key message within our environment at the moment. We want our guys to go out there and figure out how we best play red ball cricket - it's not that we need to block or play essentially T20 cricket."
"Will there be some hiccups along the way, undoubtedly - but there will also be some good periods as well. We've shown that we have a really good group of young, talented cricketers coming through and Test cricket is a new frontier for us to discover, and we're really looking forward to that challenge," said head coach Heinrich Malan in an official release on Ireland's return to playing Test cricket.
Left-arm pacer Josh Little is also missing from the Test matches due to his commitments with the Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, George Dockrell, Curtis Campher and Graham Hume are the players to be named in all squads.
About the style of Test cricket Ireland may adopt, Malan elaborated, "Look, I guess we have a group of players who like to play an aggressive style in white-ball cricket that people like to watch, but in red ball it's finding that balance. It's about playing what's in front of you - the pitch, the opposition, the scoreboard."
"But these aren't different conversations we've been having around the T20 or one-day realms - now we just have to identify that and do it for periods of time in the red ball space. That's just all part of our squad development - we do have players who have played Test cricket before, albeit not lately, but that's what is exciting about the opportunity. We just want people to have clarity about how they will approach the red ball game."
"We talk about adaptability and playing what's in front of you - but that's what we talk about as staff, we need to expose these players to different conditions, we want the players to think on their feet, but also to put a plan together and commit to it. But this is no different to conversations we had around the World Cup, for instance."
Ireland squad for Bangladesh ODIs: Andrew Balbirnie (Capt), Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Stephen Doheny, Graham Hume, Matthew Humphreys, Josh Little, Andrew McBrine, Barry McCarthy, Paul Stirling, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White.
Ireland squad for Bangladesh T20Is: Andrew Balbirnie (Capt), Mark Adair, Ross Adair, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Graham Hume, Matthew Humphreys, Barry McCarthy, Conor Olphert, Paul Stirling, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White, Craig Young.
Ireland squad for Bangladesh Test: Andrew Balbirnie (Capt), Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, Murray Commins, George Dockrell, Graham Hume, Matthew Humphreys, Andrew McBrine, Barry McCarthy, James McCollum, PJ Moor, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White.
Ireland squad for Sri Lanka Test: Andrew Balbirnie (Capt), Curtis Campher, Murray Commins, George Dockrell, Matthew Foster, Graham Hume, Matthew Humphreys, Andrew McBrine, Barry McCarthy, James McCollum, PJ Moor, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White.
Ireland squad for Sri Lanka ODI series: Paul Stirling (Capt), Curtis Campher, Murray Commins, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Stephen Doheny, Matthew Foster, Graham Hume, Matthew Humphreys, Andrew McBrine, Conor Olphert, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Craig Young.
Ireland squad for Sri Lanka Test: Andrew Balbirnie (Capt), Curtis Campher, Murray Commins, George Dockrell, Matthew Foster, Graham Hume, Matthew Humphreys, Andrew McBrine, Barry McCarthy, James McCollum, PJ Moor, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White.
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