Ireland Announces Squad with Four New Faces for Historic Test Against New Zealand

Ireland Prepares for Historic Test Match

Dublin [Ireland], May 22: Ireland has included four uncapped players in their squad for the upcoming one-off Test against New Zealand, marking a significant moment as the two teams are set to clash in the longest format for the first time.

The four-day encounter is scheduled to take place at Stormont in Belfast from May 27 to 30, representing only the 13th Test match for Ireland since they achieved Test status in 2017.

Andrew Balbirnie will lead the team for the 10th time in this format, although Ireland will be without several key players due to injuries. Notable absentees include Paul Stirling, Barry McCarthy, Josh Little, Gavin Hoey, and Jordan Neill, as reported by the ICC.

Newcomers Jake Egan, Tom Mayes, Liam McCarthy, and Reuben Wilson have received their first call-ups and may debut in this match. The squad also includes seasoned players like Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, Andrew McBrine, Harry Tector, and wicketkeeper Lorcan Tucker.

Ireland will be looking to leverage their home advantage against a formidable New Zealand team, which arrives with a full-strength squad as part of their tour of Ireland and England.

Tom Latham will captain New Zealand, who currently ranks second in the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 standings with a points percentage of 77.78. The batting lineup features stars like Kane Williamson, Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, and Daryl Mitchell, while the pace attack is strengthened by the returns of Kyle Jamieson and Will O'Rourke.

Jamieson is set to make his first Test appearance since February 2024, while O'Rourke returns to the format for the first time since New Zealand's Test against Zimbabwe in August 2025.

Ireland squad: Andrew Balbirnie (c), Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, Cade Carmichael, Stephen Doheny, Jake Egan, Matthew Humphreys, Tom Mayes, Andrew McBrine, Liam McCarthy, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Reuben Wilson, and Craig Young.