Cricket Ireland in talks with BCCI over India touring in 2026 before England series

Dublin [Ireland], September 19 (ANI): Cricket Ireland (CI) is hopeful about Men in Blue's touring the nation for a white-ball series on their way to England. India will travel to England for five T20Is and three ODIs from July 1 to 19 next year.

ESPNcricinfo reported on Friday that Cricket Ireland officials have held discussions with their BCCI counterparts over a potential visit before the commencement of the England tour. India has visited Ireland for a short T20I series in the past seven years: 2018, 2022 and 2023. During their visit, the enticing contest attracted strong crowds at Malahide on the outskirts of Dublin.

On Tuesday, Ireland captain Paul Stirling expressed his disappointment about the lack of home international cricket this summer. He classified his side as "underprepared" to face England in their ongoing three-match T20I series.

Cricket Ireland's chair, Brian MacNeice, revealed that after the second T20I of the series was washed out on Friday, he met the players and staff to address their concerns.

"I opened the meeting by saying, as far as I'm concerned, the quantum of cricket that we're playing in '25 isn't good enough to prepare you guys to play international cricket and to be competitive at ICC tournaments. I'm not hiding from that," MacNeice said as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.

"We mapped out our views and thoughts on what the schedule for '26 and '27 looks like, and I wanted to get their input not just on the international schedule, but also the domestic schedule... It was a really positive session yesterday. There's more work to be done, honestly, but it was a good session," MacNeice added.

The third and final T20I of the series against England on Sunday will be Ireland's ninth and final home men's international of the 2025 summer. Four of Ireland's eight fixtures were lost to the weather.

"[The players] understand the challenges that we're facing and some of the reasons why we had what we had, but they also are very clear about what we're trying to achieve. I think they're fully bought into that," MacNeice said.

As part of the ICC's Future Tours Programme, Ireland is due to host New Zealand (one Test), Bangladesh (three ODIs and three T20Is) and Afghanistan (one Test, three ODIs and three T20Is) next summer.

"There are still a couple of variables that have to be figured out before we lock in the final schedule, but we'll be hosting Test cricket here next year," MacNeice added. (ANI)

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