Ireland team includes four uncapped players for Test against New Zealand

Ireland have named four uncapped players in their squad for the historic one-off Test against New Zealand later this month, as the two sides prepare to meet in the longest format for the very first time. The four-day match will be played at Stormont in Belfast from May 27 to 30 and will mark only the 13th men's Test appearance for Ireland since gaining Test status in 2017.

Andrew Balbirnie will captain the side for the 10th time in the format, with Ireland entering the fixture without several first-choice players because of injuries. Paul Stirling, Barry McCarthy, Josh Little, Gavin Hoey and Jordan Neill were all ruled out of selection, according to ICC. Jake Egan, Tom Mayes, Liam McCarthy and Reuben Wilson have all earned maiden call-ups and could make their Test debuts during the match. The squad also features experienced names such as Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, Andrew McBrine, Harry Tector and wicketkeeper Lorcan Tucker.

Ireland will hope home conditions can help them challenge a powerful New Zealand side that has arrived with a full-strength squad as part of its tour of Ireland and England. Tom Latham will lead New Zealand, who currently sit second in the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 standings with a points percentage of 77.78. Kane Williamson, Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell headline a strong batting unit, while the pace attack has been boosted by the returns of Kyle Jamieson and Will O'Rourke.

Jamieson is set for 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. (ANI)

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