ANDY BALBIRNIE is getting ready to don the whites again on Thursday and captain Ireland in their first Test match in Belfast, against Zimbabwe, in what he happily admits is his favourite form of the game.

The 33-year-old skipper is the only player to feature in all eight Tests since Ireland were elevated to the top tier of international cricket in 2017, and was “overwhelmed” to lead the team to their first victory over Afghanistan in March.

“Test cricket will always hold a special place in my heart,” he said.

“We have so much white-ball cricket throughout the year that it’s become the norm for us, so playing these longer games is a real pleasure because it doesn’t happen that often.

“As a player, you really enjoy the build up to it, the ebbs and flows of the game itself, the intricacies and the traditions that make it so special.”

Balbirnie’s introduction to Tests was far from pleasurable, though, as he became the first Ireland player to record a ‘pair’ — two noughts — against Pakistan at Malahide in 2018.

“I can never get away from that - it’s going to be with me for the rest of time,” he said, chuckling at the unwanted record.

“To be fair, I couldn’t have been in better form. I was full of confidence, but once you step over the line the bowler doesn’t give a about that.

“It was a tough few days afterwards because I’d built up to that historical first game and failed miserably as an individual. The only good thing is that I knew I’d get another crack at it.”

Another seven cracks to date — all away from home — with a top score of 95 against Sri Lanka in Galle, and the high earlier this year of dominating a small but nervy chase, scoring 58 not out to deliver a six-wicket victory over Afghanistan.

“That chase was never going to be easy but when we were three down for not very many — and they were cock-a-hoop and jumping around — that’s when I realised it was going to be even tougher,” he said.

“In my eyes those runs were just as important as making a hundred because of what went with it, but of course I want to make a Test century. A few of the guys have one under their belts now and I’d by lying if I said I didn’t want one too.”

A combination of Covid and funding issues restricted Ireland to three Tests in their first five years of being Full Members of the ICC and Balbirnie admits it took a while to get used to the different demands of five-day cricket.

“Playing those four matches last year - three on the subcontinent, and the one at Lord’s - was the first time I felt like a regular Test cricketer, because our games before that had been so sporadic,” he said.

“I’m getting a bit more comfortable with it and I’m really enjoying captaining it. We’ve got a good group of guys who are really adaptable when it comes to playing Test cricket.”

Ideally he would like Ireland to be playing a couple of home Tests every summer but staging costs are prohibitive.

“I saw the West Indies having a warm-up last week against Second XI players in Kent, and it was just crying out for them to come over here and play a Test or two before the series against England.

“That would be the obvious way to go: for teams touring England to come here first but with the costs and logistics involved that’s just a pipe dream at the moment.”

For now he will have to settle for beating Zimbabwe at Stormont this week, and another record: the first Ireland captain to win a Test on home soil.