Brendon McCullum, England’s red-ball head coach, has confirmed that pace bowlers James Anderson and Ollie Robinson will miss the upcoming one-off Test against Ireland, which is scheduled to commence at Lord’s on June 1. Notably, Robinson experienced Achilles tendon irritation during Sussex’s Championship match against Glamorgan last week, while veteran pacer Anderson strained his groin. Although he is currently training, the cricketer will miss the Ireland Test in order to maintain his fitness for the Ashes in 2023.
Ben Stokes, captain of England, was also suffering from a knee injury while playing for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL 2023. McCullum clarified that the all-rounder is making positive strides, and the team management will continue to monitor his development. However, it is anticipated that the cricketer will participate in the match against the Andrew Balbirne-led team.
“I believe James Anderson and Robinson will be healthy for the first Ashes match.
They will not be prepared for this match against Ireland. We’ll just have to keep an eye on it for the foreseeable future, but we’ve got excellent options throughout the squad. “Ben Stokes is also making good progress,” McCullum told Sky Sports.
Additionally, he appears to be in excellent condition and has a broad grin on his face. He is thrilled to be back around the group, and as our leader, the energy he brings is excellent, so we will continue to monitor this and see what transpires. I have no doubt that he will bowl at some point throughout the summer. He is a world-class all-rounder, and it’s wonderful if he can bowl. If not, we will find a solution,” he added.
Notably, under McCullum and Stokes, England’s aggressive style of play has revolutionized Test cricket. They have had sufficient success over the past year, defeating Pakistan, New Zealand, and South Africa, and now their primary objective will be to reclaim the Ashes and the urn.
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