Jason Holder returns as West Indies announce 15-member squad for England Test series
Cricket West Indies (CWI) announced a 15-member squad for the three-Test series in England, starting July 10. Kraigg Brathwaite will continue as captain while pacer Alzarri Joseph remains his deputy.
Former captain and veteran all-rounder Jason Holder has earned a recall back to the side after making himself unavailable for the previous series in Australia. West Indies won a historic Test against Australia in Brisbane the last time they donned the white jerseys. It helped them walk away with a 1-1 drawn series and end their 27-year drought without a Test win in Australia.
West Indies lead selector Desmond Haynes was confident about the squad for the England series and said:
"The squad has been shaped with both experience and emerging talent, ensuring a strong balance as we face the challenge of playing in English conditions. Over the past year, our red-ball program has continued to develop."
He added:
"Following our victory in the last Test in Australia in January, it is evident that we are seeing the fruits of that investment. Each player selected has earned their place through consistent performances and hard work. We are confident that this blend of seasoned players and emerging faces will perform admirably against England."
Apart from Holder, West Indies will also welcome back talented pacer Jayden Seales, who missed the Australian series due to injury.
Meanwhile, the Men from the Caribbean are currently sixth in the World Test Championship (WTC) table for 2023-25. West Indies won the previous meeting against England in a Test series by a 1-0 margin at home in 2022. However, the last time the sides met in England, the hosts pulled off a 2-1 series win in 2020.
The first Test at Lord's will also be legendary pacer James Anderson's final international game after he announced his retirement last month. Following the Lord's encounter, the series shifts to Nottingham and Birmingham for the final two Tests.
England's latest Test series was in India where the hosts handed them a 4-1 hammering. They are sitting at the bottom of the nine-team WTC table with only three wins in 10 games.
Both teams are currently part of the 2024 T20 World Cup played in the West Indies and USA.
West Indies squad for three-Test series in England
Kraigg Brathwaite (Captain), Alick Athanaze, Joshua Da Silva, Jason Holder, Kavem Hodge, Tevin Imlach, Alzarri Joseph (Vice-Captain), Shamar Joseph, Mikyle Louis, Zachary McCaskie, Kirk McKenzie, Gudakesh Motie, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales, and Kevin Sinclair.