There was no respite for the Ireland selectors when they picked the 14-man squad for next weekend’s glamour T20 internationals against India at Stormont.
With seven first choice picks on the injured list, it will be a seam attack with just one T20 international between them, a possible debutant for a spinner and a batter who hasn’t played a T20I for more than three years. And this after three new Test caps were given out before the game against New Zealand last month.
Still on the injured list are Paul Stirling, Curtis Campher, Mark Adair, Barry McCarthy, Josh Little and Jordan Neill and they have been joined by Craig Young who suffered a back injury in the North West Warriors inter-provincial game at Pembroke on Tuesday and is workload is still being managed.
There are two uncapped players in the squad, pace bowlers Matthew Hollard and Jai Moondra, rewarded for their performances in the inter-provincial Trophy for Leinster Lightning, while Reuben Wilson retains his place after making his debut in the Test match. Liam McCarthy, who played his sole T20I against West Indies at Bready last summer, completes the vastly inexperienced attack.
Gavin Hoey, who has played only two ODIs and a Test match, replaces Ben White in the squad selected for the T20 World Cup in February, while Stephen Doheny is also included having not played in in a T20I since making his Ireland debut against Zimbabwe in January 2023. He scored 19 in the three-match series.
This is Ireland’s first T20 international since Stirling stepped down as captain and, as expected, Lorcan Tucker will take over. He has led Ireland twice before, against Pakistan at Clontarf in 2024, when he top scored in defeat with 73 and when he took over from the injured Stirling in the T20 World Cup game against Oman in February. The final group game against Zimbabwe was abandoned.
Only Stirling has played more T20Is than George Dockrell who will be making his 158th appearance and if Harry Tector plays both games, the second on Sunday will be his 100th T20I.
Squad: L Tucker (capt), R Adair, B Calitz, G Delany, G Dockrell, S Doheny, M Humphreys, G Hoey, M Hollard, L McCarthy, J Moondra, H Tector, T Tector, R Wilson.
