Tucker leads injury-stricken Ireland for India T20Is

Lorcan Tucker has been appointed as the permanent captain of the Ireland T20I team ahead of the upcoming two-match series against India, scheduled for 26 and 28 July at Stormont, with matches starting at 14:30 BST. Tucker, who plays as a wicketkeeper-batter, will lead a squad that is facing significant challenges due to injuries, as it will miss six key players for the fixtures in Belfast.

The 29-year-old has previously captained Ireland on two occasions and has served as vice-captain since 2025. His experience is extensive, having achieved 159 caps across all formats since making his debut in 2016.

New additions to the Ireland squad, Matthew Hollard and Jai Moondra, will receive their first-ever call-ups, while Reuben Wilson will make his T20I debut after recently earning his first Test cap against New Zealand.

The injured players who are unavailable for selection include Josh Little (stress fracture), Mark Adair (rectus muscle tear), Paul Stirling (torn calf muscle), Curtis Campher (hand fracture), Barry McCarthy (complete ACL tear), and Jordan Neill (shoulder and foot injuries).

With Tucker’s new role as captain, Ireland now has different captains for each format, as Andrew Balbirnie leads in Tests and Paul Stirling in ODIs. Tucker expressed that his appointment is "a great privilege," acknowledging the responsibility he feels towards the playing group and organization.

"My approach to the captaincy is to lead from within and by example. I’d like to think I have good relationships with all the staff and players and can act with honesty and empathy. I feel like it’s my job to bring the best out of them and give them the opportunity to do amazing things for themselves and us as a team," he stated.

The squad selected for the T20I matches against India includes: Lorcan Tucker (cap), Ross Adair, Ben Calitz, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Stephen Doheny, Matthew Humphreys, Gavin Hoey, Matthew Hollard, Liam McCarthy, Jai Moondra, Harry Tector, Tim Tector, and Reuben Wilson.