Jonny Bairstow has been included in England’s Test squad, in place of Ben Foakes, wicketkeeper-bat, for the one-off Test against Ireland at Lord’s, commencing on June 1. James Anderson, the 40-year-old pace bowler who is closing in on 700 Test wickets, has also been picked in the squad, despite sustaining a mild groin strain while playing county cricket for Lancashire. Meanwhile, Jofra Archer, English cricket’s prodigal fast bowler, was ruled out of the entire summer because of a recurring elbow problem.
Bairstow hasn’t played for England since he suffered a freak leg injury in September last year while playing golf. He wasn’t part of England’s victorious T20 World Cup campaign, the Test-and-limited-overs tour of Pakistan, or the tour of New Zealand. He also decided to opt out of playing in the ongoing IPL. However, Bairstow has played a couple of County Championship games for Yorkshire this season. With Harry Brook, his fellow Yorkshireman, establishing himself as the one of the mainstays of the middle order, Bairstow would now take over the gloves from Foakes for the Test against Ireland and the Ashes series that begins on June 16.
“We are looking forward to the summer ahead and getting into the swing of things, starting with a good Test against Ireland,” said Robert Key, managing director of the England men’s team. “It was a seriously tough decision to leave Ben Foakes out of the squad. He has been excellent for England in the last year, but Jonny Bairstow is one of the best players in the world whose performances last summer epitomised what we are about.”
Anderson’s inclusion in the playing XI for the Ireland Test will be subject to fitness. If he doesn’t pass the fitness test, then Matthew Potts, the Durham pace bowler, could get a chance. Anderson had picked up the injury on day one of their County Championship game against Somerset. Later on in the day, Glenn Chapple, Lancashire head coach and Anderson’s former pace colleague, told BBC Radio that the injury wasn’t “anything too serious”.
There was also a recall for Woakes, the pace bowler who last played a Test for England in the Caribbean in March 2022. Woakes has struggled away from home, but remains a real handful in English conditions, with 94 wickets at an average of 22.63 from just 25 Tests.
England’s think-tank have also shown faith in Zak Crawley, the Kent batter. He averages just over 27 in Test cricket, although he did score 170 in a recent championship game against Essex. Keaton Jennings, who was said to be in contention to replace Crawley, sustained a hamstring problem in the game against Somerset in Taunton.
England Test Squad: Ben Stokes (c), 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.