Ireland head coach Heinrich Malan and captain Andrew Balbirnie say their team is ready to improve in the longest format, but only if given the chance to play more Test cricket.
Following a 2–0 series defeat to Bangladesh, Ireland left Dhaka empty-handed but far from discouraged. They stretched the second Test to a fifth day and forced Bangladesh to work hard, showing glimpses of a team capable of far more than their limited opportunities suggest.
We just desperately want to play more cricket… We’ve got some really quality players who’ve shown they can compete. The more cricket we play, the more consistent we’ll become.
Malan will next lead Ireland into a Test against Afghanistan in August 2026, their only scheduled red-ball fixture until then.
“We Always Want to Play Five Days” — Malan Praises Dhaka Wicket. Malan admitted he expected the Dhaka pitch to turn sharply, but said the surface held up better than anticipated. “Everyone knew the wicket would turn, it was just a question of how much. But the method used to prepare it was different, and it held together way better.”
Campher’s Grit Impresses the Coach
One of the highlights for Ireland was Curtis Campher’s remarkable second-innings effort, an unbeaten 71 off 259 balls that anchored Ireland’s resistance.
It’s straight up his alley, the grit piece. Curtis thrives in tough situations. He’s gutsy, he digs in, and there’s no better man for a fight.
Malan added that Campher was “very disappointed” not to drag the match deeper despite a heroic effort.
Next Generation Proves Its Worth
Malan also pointed to performances from Jordan Neil and Cade Carmichael as proof of the depth Ireland is building behind senior players such as Paul Stirling and Andrew Balbirnie.
“We’re making sure that when the time comes for our senior lads to move on, we have adequate replacements. Neil and Carmichael showed they can play. and perform. at this level.”
He believes consistent exposure will turn their promise into reliability. Balbirnie Echoes the Call: “We Need More First-Class Cricket”
Captain Andrew Balbirnie struck a similar tone, emphasising the lack of red-ball opportunities at domestic level.
We don’t play first-class cricket. Our young spinner Gavin Hoey makes his debut, and he’s not going to get another long red-ball bowl for a while. These guys need more red-ball cricket.
Ireland’s calendar is dominated by white-ball matches, something Balbirnie insists must change if Ireland are to become a competitive Test team. He added that, despite conditions favouring Bangladesh, Ireland showed they could compete in patches:
