Cricket West Indies (CWI) has announced the squad for the upcoming home Test series against South Africa, set to take place from August 7 to 19, 2024. The series will feature two Test matches, with the first being held at the Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad and Tobago and the second at the National Stadium in Guyana.
Key changes in the squad include the dropping of out of form batsman Kirk McKenzie and the resting of vice-captain Alzarri Joseph. Kemar Roach, who was injured during the recent series against England, returns to bolster the bowling attack. Additionally, Keacy Carty and Tevin Imlach has been called up to strengthen the batting lineup.
The squad, captained by Kraigg Brathwaite with Joshua Da Silva as vice-captain, includes Alick Athanaze, Keacy Carty, Bryan Charles, Justin Greaves, Jason Holder, Kavem Hodge, Tevin Imlach, Shamar Joseph, Mikyle Louis, Gudakesh Motie, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales, and Jomel Warrican. This combination reflects a balanced mix of experienced players and promising young talents, strategically selected to maximize performance in Trinidad and Guyana.
CWI Director of Cricket, Miles Bascombe, expressed confidence in the squad’s ability to deliver strong performances against South Africa. “The selection process for this squad was led by our Head Coach, Andre Coley, pending the implementation of our new selection process, which will be rolled out in the coming days and articulated publicly shortly. This squad reflects a thorough evaluation of players’ recent performances and suitability for the conditions we anticipate. We are confident that this team is well-balanced and capable of competing at the highest level,” Bascombe said.
Head Coach Coley emphasized the strategic selection of a balanced mix of experience and youth to maximize performance in Trinidad and Guyana. He explained the decision to rest Alzarri Joseph, citing his recent heavy workload and the need for recuperation to ensure peak performance. “Kevin Sinclair is presently recovering from an injury,” Coley added.
The full schedule for the series is as follows:
Test Series:
1st Test: August 7-11, 2024, Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad and Tobago
2nd Test: August 15-18, 2024, National Stadium, Guyana
T20I Series:
1st T20I: August 23, 2024, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad and Tobago
2nd T20I: August 25, 2024, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad and Tobago
3rd T20I: August 27, 2024, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad and Tobago
