Kemar Roach ruled out of entire tour, Pollard out of ODI series

Kemar Roach along with Kieron Pollard are out of the India tour

After the crushing defeat in the first of two Test matches against India at the Eden Gardens this past week, the touring West Indies cricket team has been dealt some further blows with key players being forced out of the tour due to injury and unavailability.

Fast bowler Kemar Roach has been ruled out of the remaining Test as well as the entire ODI series due to a shoulder injury while all-rounder Kieron Pollard is said to have a niggle and as such has been rested for the ODIs. West Indies team physiotherapist CJ Clark said that Roach’s injury was an uncommon one amongst cricketers.

“Kemar has not made the expected recovery from the shoulder injury that kept him out of the first Test and he is returning to the Caribbean for ongoing management and subsequent physical rehabilitation,” said Clark.

Roach has been replaced with Shannon Gabriel, another fast bowler, who will arrive in India in time to play in the second Test which begins at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai on Thursday, November 14.

Roach has been a key part of the West Indies set up in the last three years having taken 85 wickets in Tests at an average of 27.71 and is the only West Indian bowler in the top-20 of the ICC Test rankings coming in at 14th place.

“We’re sad to announce that Kemar has to return home to the Caribbean and will not have an opportunity on this tour, where we felt he could have made a major difference,” said West Indies head coach Ottis Gibson.