Sam Billings is set to be handed the wicketkeeping gloves for England’s Royal London One-Day Internationals against Ireland next week in Bristol and at Lord’s.
The 25-year-old, who has nine ODI caps and is currently in India with the Delhi Daredevils, will fill in for Jos Buttler who has been given permission to stay with his IPL team Mumbai Indians for an extra two weeks.
National Selector James Whitaker revealed to the BBC’s Jonathan Agnew that Billings would be given the chance to impress with the gloves in the two matches against Ireland, before Buttler, Chris Woakes and Ben Stokes join the squad for the three-match Royal London series against South Africa and then the ICC Champions Trophy.
“It’s an opportunity for Sam to show what he can do,” said Whitaker, who announced the squads today at Edgbaston – the venue for England’s last group match in the Champions Trophy against Australia on June 10.
It will be the first time that Billings has kept wicket for England while Jonny Bairstow, England’s Test wicketkeeper, is expected to play as a specialist batsman in the Ireland games.
Ben Duckett has been recalled to a 14-man squad for those two Ireland games to add further batting options, but he and Steven Finn are due to drop out when Buttler, Stokes and Woakes return.