Bairstow last played international cricket in September, before suffering a fractured leg in a freak accident while playing golf. He missed all of England's winter programme and only recently returned to action in the County Championship for Yorkshire but now looks set to take the gloves during the Ashes, which begins on June 16.

Rob Key, England managing director of men's cricket, said leaving out Foakes was "a seriously tough decision", after the Surrey keeper had established himself as first-choice under Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes, during the team's run of 10 wins in 12 Tests. Bairstow last kept in a Test in 2021, standing in for Jos Buttler, and has not been the regular gloveman since the end of the 2019 Ashes.

"We are looking forward to the summer ahead and getting into the swing of things, starting with a good Test against Ireland," Key said. "It was a seriously tough decision to leave Ben Foakes out of the squad. He has been excellent for England in the last year, but Jonny Bairstow is one of the best players in the world whose performances last summer epitomised what we are about."

"I would like to wish the players every success, especially those returning after some time away."

Zak Crawley's place at opener remains secure, after he began the summer with 350 runs in nine innings for Kent, while Essex's Dan Lawrence continues as the spare batter in the group.

England men's Test Squad: Ben Stokes (capt), James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood