England has announced its 15-man squad for the upcoming one-off Test against Ireland, set to commence on June 1 at Lord's Cricket Ground. The team will be led by Ben Stokes, with Ollie Pope appointed as the vice-captain.
The return of wicketkeeper-batsman Jonny Bairstow is a significant boost for England. Bairstow had been sidelined since August last year due to a golf accident that resulted in a broken left leg and dislocated ankle. His comeback adds depth to the team's batting and wicketkeeping options.
As a result of Bairstow's return, Ben Foakes has been left out of the squad. Another notable absentee is Jofra Archer, who has been ruled out for the rest of the summer due to a recurrence of a stress fracture in his right elbow.
Fast bowlers Mark Wood and Chris Woakes make their return to the Test squad. Woakes, in particular, will be playing a Test on home soil for the first time in two years if selected.
The inclusion of James Anderson is a positive development for England. Anderson had suffered an injury while bowling during Lancashire's County clash against Somerset. The ECB had stated that his fitness would be assessed before the Ireland Test, and his presence in the squad indicates positive progress.
Rob Key, the ECB Managing Director for England Men's Cricket, expressed his excitement for the upcoming summer matches and the tough decisions made regarding team selection. He praised Ben Foakes' contributions but highlighted Jonny Bairstow's exceptional skills and past performances.
Regarding Jofra Archer, Key acknowledged the frustrations and setbacks caused by the recurring elbow injury. He expressed confidence in Archer's ability to recover and excel for England in the future.
The one-off Test against Ireland will be played from June 1 to June 4 at Lord's Cricket Ground in London. It marks only the second Test match between the two nations. Notably, the first encounter in 2019 was also a four-day Test, which England won by 143 runs.
England's focus will then shift to the highly anticipated Ashes series against Australia, scheduled to commence on June 16. The Test against Ireland provides valuable game time for England's players before facing their arch-rivals in the home Ashes series.
England Squad: Ben Stokes (c), James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.