Little can be big in Test cricket, insists Balbirnie

IRELAND captain Andrew Balbirbie is hopeful Josh Little will play Test cricket in the future, but knows he could now be a player in demand after his Indian Premier League exploits.

Little will sit out this week’s oneoff Test with England, which gets under way at Lord’s on Thursday, in order to rest ahead of next month’s 50-over World Cup qualification tournament.

Seamer Little played 10 matches for eventual runners-up Gujurat Titans in his maiden IPL and subsequently missed Tests with Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

“I’m sure, hopefully down the line, he’ll play Test cricket for Ireland,” Balbirbie said.

Asked if Little wants to play the longest format of the game, Ireland’s captain replied: “I’m sure he does.

“I haven’t asked him that specifically. I speak to them as often as I can. I know how busy he is and the pressures that the IPL brings.

“And he doesn’t want to get back from a game in front of 100,000 people with me saying ‘do you fancy 12 overs next week at Lord’s’?

“You need to give him his space as well and make sure that he’s in a good frame of mind.

“Josh is Josh, we as a team want to promote Irish cricket as best we can when we’re on the pitch but he’s also doing that himself with what he’s achieving on the world stage.

“What he is doing at the moment is only good for Irish cricket and the development of players coming up through the ranks.”

Little is not the only Irish player to have played in franchise leagues following a strong showing by Ireland at the T20 World Cup.

Balbirnie’s aim is to develop a core group of players so any future absentees are not felt so sorely.

“Of course, we would have loved him here but I understand completely that he’s got to focus on resting up and getting ready for our World Cup qualifier,” he said. “Josh played in an IPL final in his first IPL appearance, I’m not stupid, he’s going to get picked up by other leagues and we are going to have this situation again, but he still wants to play for Ireland.”