Bairstow recalled, Foakes dropped for Ireland Test

Jonny Bairstow has been recalled as England’s Test wicketkeeper at the expense of Ben Foakes for next month’s oneoff Test against Ireland. James Anderson is also included in the 15-man squad, despite suffering a minor groin strain while playing for Lancashire last week.

Jofra Archer, who recently returned from the IPL to assess discomfort in his elbow, was not considered after the recurrence of a stress fracture that has ruled him out for the summer.

Bairstow last played international cricket in September, before suffering a fractured leg in a freak accident while playing golf. He missed all of England’s winter programme and only recently returned to action in the County Championship for Yorkshire but now looks set to take the gloves during the Ashes, which begins on June 16.

Rob Key, England managing director of men’s cricket, said leaving out Foakes was “a seriously tough decision”, after the Surrey keeper had established himself as first-choice under Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes, during the team’s run of 10 wins in 12

Tests. Bairstow last kept in a Test in 2021, standing in for Jos Buttler, and has not been the regular gloveman since the end of the 2019 Ashes. “We are looking forward to the summer ahead and getting into the swing of things, starting with a good Test against Ireland,” Key said.

The rest of the squad was largely as expected, with Anderson named among six fast-bowling options alongside the spinner, Jack Leach. Chris Woakes, whose last Test came on the tour to the West Indies in 2022, returns, as does Mark Wood after he was rested for the New Zealand series earlier this year. Matt Potts is also in contention for a spot alongside the frontline pair of Stuart Broad and Ollie Robinson if Anderson is not fit.

Zak Crawley’s place at opener remains secure, after he began the summer with 350 runs in nine innings for Kent.

England squad: Ben Stokes (capt), 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.