West Indies on Tuesday (July 9) announced their starting XI for the first Test against England, scheduled to begin on Wednesday at Lord’s.
It will be West Indies’ first match since the Gabba match against Australia in January this year. The Caribbean side had recorded a famous 8-run win in that match and will be looking to start the three-match series against England with a win as well.
West Indies have made three changes to the starting XI that played their last Test match. Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Justin Greaves and Kevin Sinclair have all lost their place in the starting XI. Of the three, Chanderpaul and Greaves are not even in the Test squad.
With Chanderpaul out of the squad, captain Kraigg Brathwaite has a new opening partner in Mikyle Louis. The internationally inexperienced batsman earned his first Test call-up after finishing the West Indies four-day championship as the leading run-scorer.
The 23-year-old also impressed recently in the warm-up match, scoring a fine fifty against County XI. Louis will become the first player from the island of St Kitts to play Test cricket for the West Indies. The openers will be followed by Kirk McKenzie and Alick Althanze.
West Indies starting XI for the first Test against England:
Kavem Hodge, Joshua Da Silva and former captain Jason Holder will follow in the top four. The Test will mark Holder’s return to international cricket after missing the T20 World Cup due to injury. Both Hodge and Da Silva impressed in the warm-up match.
Hodge scored 112 runs in the first innings, while the wicketkeeper scored an unbeaten 51 runs in the second innings. They had also impressed in the Gabba Test, sharing a decisive 149-run stand after West Indies were reduced to 64 for 5 in the first innings.
West Indies have named three fast pacers and one spinner in the squad. Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph and Jayden Seales are the three fast bowlers, while Gudakesh Motie is the lone spinner. Seales has impressed in county cricket this season, picking up 24 wickets in 6 games for Sussex.
West Indies Starting XI:
Kraigg Brathwaite (center), Mikyle Louis, Kirk McKenzie, Alick Athanaze, Kavem Hodge, Jason Holder, Joshua da Silva (week), Gudakesh Motie, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Jayden Seales
