Ireland opener Ross Adair has been ruled out of the upcoming T20I series against Bangladesh due to a bone stress injury in his knee. His absence is a setback for Ireland, as the in-form batter had recently regained momentum after a series of injury setbacks. Adair, who struck a memorable 58-ball century against South Africa last year, had shown promise earlier this year with scores of 48 against West Indies and 26 and 33 against England. His recovery period means he is now expected to return to international action only ahead of next year’s T20 World Cup.
To fill the void, Jordan Neill will remain with the squad after the two-Test series in Bangladesh and join the T20I setup. Neill, part of Ireland’s 15-man Test squad, made his international debut in May but missed much of the home season following an injury.
Ireland’s national selector Andrew White expressed disappointment over Adair’s withdrawal, calling it “very unfortunate” as the opener had been an important part of the T20I top order. White said the selectors are now focused on testing new combinations as they prepare for the 2026 T20 World Cup. He added that Neill’s inclusion provides useful cover and flexibility, allowing Ireland to experiment with their batting structure.
White also highlighted the addition of left-hander Ben Calitz to the middle order, which he believes will add much-needed variety and balance to the lineup. The Bangladesh tour, he said, offers an ideal opportunity to assess players’ adaptability to different conditions and match situations.
Ireland’s tour of Bangladesh begins with two Tests — in Sylhet on November 11 and Mirpur on November 19 — followed by a three-match T20I series starting November 27.
