Paul Stirling has been left out of Ireland’s squad for the Test matches against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

Ireland’s priority for 2023 is qualification for the two white ball World Cups, so Andy Balbirnie is rested for the Sri Lanka ODI’s, with Stirling taking the captain’s armband.

Ireland have three crucial World Cup Super League games against Bangladesh in May, where three wins could secure the final automatic World Cup berth. Ireland have conceded home advantage and the matches will be played in Chelmsford.

James McCollum returns to the fold, as Ireland resume red-ball cricket after a four-year self-imposed exile. The 27 year-old Waringstown batsman has only won two caps since the Lord’s Test of 2019.

Former Zimbabwean international PJ Moor is named in both Test squads, with the 32 year-old qualifying for Ireland last October. He has scored five half centuries in his eight Tests for the African side, averaging 35.53 in the format.

Moor will vie with Lorcan Tucker for the gloves, and there is a real possibility that they could each play a Test apiece, which would mean the Irish will have used five different keepers in their first five Tests (Niall O’Brien, Stuart Poynter and Gary Wilson being the others).

Also named for the first time are Lisburn left-arm spinner Matthew Humphreys, who was so impressive for Ireland Under 19’s in their World Cup campaign, and CSNI paceman Matthew Foster.

Foster replaces Mark Adair for the Sri Lanka  leg of the tour, with Head Coach Heinrich Malan using 22 players across the five squads in the absence of cricket for the Wolves.

Josh Little will only play in the Bangladesh ODI’s due to his T20 commitments, including the prestigious (and lucrative) IPL.

There’s a welcome return from injury for Craig Young who won the last of his 103 caps in July against New Zealand, returning early from the T20 World Cup in Australia. Bready speedster Conor Olphert is also back from injury, with the pair named for the T20’s in Bangladesh and ODI’s in Sri Lanka.

Surprisingly, there’s no place in any of the squads for Simi Singh, while Fionn Hand has been left out, and David Delany continues to be overlooked.

IRELAND SQUADS
V Bangladesh (ODIs):  A Balbirnie (capt), M Adair, C Campher, G Delany, G Dockrell, S Doheny, G Hume, M Humphreys, J Little, A McBrine, B McCarthy, P Stirling, H Tector, L Tucker, B White.

V Bangladesh (T20Is): A Balbirnie (capt), M Adair, R Adair, C Campher, G Delany, G Dockrell, G Hume, M Humphreys, B McCarthy, C Olphert, P Stirling, H Tector, L Tucker, B White, C Young

V Bangladesh, Sri Lanka (Tests): A Balbirnie (capt), M Adair (Bangladesh only), C Campher, M Commins, G Dockrell, M Foster (Sri Lanka only), G Hume, M Humphreys, A McBrine, B McCarthy, J McCollum, PJ Moor, H Tector, L Tucker, B White

V Sri Lanka (ODIs): P Stirling (capt), C Campher, M Commins, G Delany, G Dockrell, S Doheny, M Foster, G Hume, M Humphreys, A McBrine, C Olphert, H Tector, L Tucker, C Young.