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West Indies will be without allrounder Jason Holder and Kyle Mayers for their two-Test series against Australia next month, as both players opted “to explore T20 franchise opportunities in January”.
Holder, according to Espn Cricinfo, will compete in the International League T20 (ILT20) tournament in UAE next month instead.
The 32-year-old Barbadian was one of three contracted West Indies players—alongside Mayers and Nicholas Pooran—who declined an offer to renew terms with the “Maroon Men” for 2024.
Holder claimed that his decision to snub the West Indies Test side was in order to better his chances of doing well in the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the West Indies and the United States in June.
“By no means is this me turning my back on Test cricket,” Holder told Cricinfo. “It’s not curtains for me in Test cricket by any means… It was a very difficult decision: I just feel as though this is the right cricketing decision for me at this time.
“As much as I love Test cricket, I want to give myself the best chance of playing in that World Cup. I felt it was probably best to prioritise and focus on playing as much T20 cricket leading up to that as possible.”
(Copyright Rahul Gulati / Sportzpics for IPL)
Apart from Holder and Mayers, the West Indies are also denied the chance to use pacer Jayden Seales in Australia due to injury.
However, the Desmond Haynes-led Cricket West Indies (CWI) selection panel also made a drastic departure from their Test team that lost to India in July, with five other exclusions.
Thirty-two-year-old former vice-captain Jermaine Blackwood was not selected to tour Australia and, instead, pacer Alzarri Joseph will serve as deputy to West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite.
Bowling options Rahkeem Cornwall, Raymon Reifer, Jomel Warrican and Shannon Gabriel were also overlooked.
Instead, the selection panel named seven uncapped players in: batter Zachary McCaskie (27 years old), wicket-keeper Tevin Imlach (27), allrounders Justin Greaves (29), Kavem Hodge (30) and Kevin Sinclair (24), and fast bowlers Akeem Jordan (29) and Shamar Joseph (24).
“The squad has been affected by the unavailability of some key players,” Haynes told the CWI Media. “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.”
(Copyright AFP/ Getty)
Next month’s two-Test series is part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) from 17 to 29 January 2024.
Brathwaite will lead West Indies to Australia on 30 December for a preparation camp from 2 – 9 January in Adelaide, followed by a four-day first class warm-up match against a Cricket Australia XI at the Karen Rolton Oval in Adelaide from 10 – 13 January.
West Indies and Australia will then compete for the Frank Worrell Trophy—so named in honor of the legendary West Indies allrounder and captain.
The 37-year-old Warner represents Australia across multiple formats.
The first Test will be a red ball fixture at the Adelaide Oval from 17 to 21 January, while the second is a pink ball day/ night contest at the Gabba in Brisbane from 25 to 29 January.
This is West Indies’ second Test Series out of a total of six to play in the new 2023-2025 ICC WTC cycle. Three series will be at home and three away.
At present, West Indies, who drew one Test and lost another against India in August, are sixth in the 10-team standings.
Photo: CWI Media
(West Indies Test squad)
Kraigg Brathwaite (captain), Alzarri Joseph (vice-captain), Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Kirk McKenzie, Alick Athanaze, Kavem Hodge, Justin Greaves, Joshua DaSilva, Akeem Jordan, Gudakesh Motie, Kemar Roach, Kevin Sinclair, Tevin Imlach, Shamar Joseph, and Zachary McCaskie.
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