Cricket West Indies (CWI) has unveiled an 18-member squad for the upcoming preparatory camp in Antigua ahead of the upcoming two-match Test series against India.
The squad will be led by the red-ball specialist, Kraigg Brathwaite.
The camp is set to commence on Friday at the Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG) in Antigua. Following the camp, the team will travel to Dominica on July 9, where the first Test of the series will kick off on July 12. The second Test is scheduled to take place from July 20 at Trinidad’s Queen’s Park Oval.
Following the Test series, West Indies will also engage in a three-match One Day International (ODI) series starting on July 27. This will be followed by a five-match Twenty20 International (T20I) series commencing on August 3.
Considering that West Indies is currently participating in the ICC World Cup qualifiers, some senior members of the team have not been included in the squad for the preparatory camp. Players like Jason Holder, Alzarri Joseph and Kyle Mayers will not be part of the camp.
In contrast, the squad features several new faces, including Kavem Hodge, Alick Athanaze and Jair McAllister. These fresh additions are expected to bring a renewed energy and enthusiasm to the team.
It is worth mentioning that the West Indies team will remain in Zimbabwe until July 9, participating in crucial matches as part of the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers.
West Indies Test squad: Kraigg Brathwaite (captain), Alick Athanaze, Jermaine Blackwood, Nkrumah Bonner, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Rahkeem Cornwall, Joshua Da Silva, Shannon Gabriel, Kavem Hodge, Akeem Jordan, Jair McAllister, Kirk McKenzie, Marquino Mindley, Anderson Phillip, Raymon Reifer, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales, Jomel Warrican.
The camp and subsequent series against India will provide an opportunity for the squad to regroup, strategize, and fine-tune their skills ahead of the challenging contests against the Indian team.
West Indies fans eagerly anticipate an exciting and closely contested series as their team takes on the formidable Indian side in what promises to be a thrilling display of Test cricket.