New Faces in Ireland's Red-Ball Squad

Ireland has named five uncapped players—Cade Carmichael, Liam McCarthy, Jordan Neill, Stephen Doheny, and Gavin Hoey—in their Test squad for the Bangladesh tour. This marks Ireland's first red-ball fixtures since their February clash against Zimbabwe. Leg-spinner Hoey, though previously included in squads, remains uncapped, adding intrigue to the spin-friendly Bangladeshi pitches.

T20 Boost: Adair and Little Return

Star seamers Josh Little and Mark Adair rejoin the squad for the T20 leg, bolstering Ireland's attack ahead of the 2024 T20 World Cup. Assistant coach Gary Wilson emphasized their impact:

"Their global league experience strengthens our bowling unit significantly after an underpowered showing against England."

Squad Dynamics and Preparations

• Test Squad Highlights: Skipper Andrew Balbirnie leads a mix of veterans (Paul Stirling, Craig Young) and newcomers. Only seven players return from Ireland's last Bangladesh tour in 2021.
• T20 Squad Additions: Tim Tector earns a recall, while Ben Calitz retains his spot post-England debut.
• Training Focus: Limited first-class cricket forced creative red-ball prep, including sporadic net sessions and simulated scenarios.

Series Schedule & Context

Test Matches:

• 1st Test: Nov 11-15, Sylhet (04:00 GMT)
• 2nd Test: Nov 19-23, Dhaka (04:00 GMT)

T20Is:

• Nov 27, 29 (Chattogram), Dec 2 (Dhaka) – all at 12:00 GMT

This tour addresses Ireland's sparse 2023 schedule, following retirements like PJ Moor and a hunger for more competitive fixtures. Wilson noted:

"We’re eager to gauge how these debutants adapt to Test cricket’s demands."