WI include seven uncapped players for Australia Tests

FE Team | Published: December 22, 2023 22:08:53

West Indies have included as many as seven uncapped players in their squad for the daunting challenge of facing Australia in two Tests next month, reports www.espncricinfo.com.
Batter Zachary McCaskie, wicketkeeper Tevin Imlach, allrounders Justin Greaves, Kavem Hodge and Kevin Sinclair along with quick bowlers Akeem Jordan and Shamar Joseph are among the 15 names which will be without Jason Holder who has opted to play T20 franchise cricket.
Exciting young quick bowler Jayden Seales is also unavailable due to a shoulder injury while, like Holder, allrounder Kyle Mayers has opted out of the tour to play T20s.
The majority of those in line for their maiden Test appearance featured in the recent West Indies A tour of South Africa which included three four-day matches.
Offspinning allrounder Sinclair, who has played seven ODIs and six T20Is, impressed on that trip with a batting return of 44.00 alongside 12 wickets at 25.91 having also stood out on the earlier A tour to Bangladesh.
In last season's West Indies four-day championship he averaged 16.61 with the ball and was called up to the Test squad against India earlier this year.
Pace bowler Joseph, who only has five first-class games under his belt, was another to return from the A tour with good numbers having taken 12 wickets in two matches. Fellow quick Jordan, who was previously part of the Test squad to tour South Africa earlier this year, took nine wickets for the A side to follow 12 in three games against Bangladesh A.
Hodge was the second-highest run-scorer in South Africa with 179 at 29.83 which followed a domestic return of 387 at 38.78 for Windward Islands.
With nearly half the squad having no Test experience it will put even more onus on the group of senior players led by captain Kraigg Brathwaite who will have a new vice-captain in Alzarri Joseph.
"The squad has been affected by the unavailability of some key players," Desmond Haynes, West Indies' lead selector, said.
"However, we have had a very strong red-ball program being run over the past year, which has unearthed significant talent throughout the region. The selected players have passed each test given to them and must now be given the opportunity to showcase their skills in the test arena. Australia away is always a challenge, but we are confident in our team."
West Indies Test squad for Australia
Kraigg Brathwaite (capt), Alzarri Joseph, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Kirk McKenzie, Alick Athanaze, Kavem Hodge, Justin Greaves, Joshua Da Silva, Akeem Jordan, Gudakesh Motie, Kemar Roach, Kevin Sinclair, Tevin Imlach, Shamar Joseph, Zachary McCaskie