Former Rugby player Ross Adair receives maiden Ireland call-up for Zimbabwe tour

Ross Adair, former rugby player and brother of all-rounder Mark Adair, has received his maiden call-up to the Ireland squad for their upcoming tour of Zimbabwe.

Adair has been picked as a replacement for Lorcan Tucker as the latter pulled out of the T20I series against Zimbabwe to take part in the inaugural edition of the UAE International League T20. Tucker, however, will join the Ireland camp ahead of the ODI leg.

Ross, who bats right-handed and is a left-arm spin bowler, has played seven List A and 15 T20s so far, scoring 438 runs with one century and picking up four wickets.

“I’m absolutely delighted with the call up, but I’m not sure it’s really sunk in yet if I’m honest. It’s a huge honour for me and now I just can’t wait to get away on tour,” Ross said in his official statement.

“I have always wanted to push myself and get to as high a level as possible. I had a fairly open and honest conversation with Gary Wilson a couple of years ago – Gary is someone I trust very much and wouldn’t mince his words too often, so when he said that there was a chance – a small chance, but a chance nonetheless – that’s what I wanted. I love my cricket and to have the opportunity to potentially represent Ireland at the highest level with Mark, would mean the world to me,” he added.

Ireland’s T20I squad: Andrew Balbirnie (captain), Mark Adair, Ross Adair, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Stephen Doheny, Fionn Hand, Graham Hume, Tyrone Kane, Barry McCarthy, Neil Rock, Harry Tector, Ben White.

Ireland’s ODI squad: Andrew Balbirnie (captain), Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Stephen Doheny, Graham Hume, Tyrone Kane, Josh Little, Andy McBrine, Barry McCarthy, Paul Stirling, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker.