White-ball star Shai Hope has been included in the West Indies squad for their upcoming three-match Test series at home against Australia. Shai Hope is in line for his first Test appearance since December 2021, batter John Campbell is also included, while Brandon King and Kevlon Anderson have received maiden call-ups for the series that commences in Barbados on 25 June
Shai Hope has been recalled to the West Indies Test side, being named in the 16-man squad for a three-match series against Australia on Tuesday. The white-ball captain has been rewarded for his strong form in limited-overs cricket and could play his first Test since 2021 when the opening game begins on June 25 in Bridgetown.
Shai Hope returns to the WI test squad while experienced Kemar Roach misses the berth
West Indies have rung the changes in naming a 16-player Test squad to face Australia, recalling white-ball skipper Shai Hope, calling up three uncapped players and moving on from veteran seamer Kemar Roach. Shai Hope’s return, on the back of some strong performances in limited-overs cricket, effectively replaces wicketkeeper-batter Joshua Da Silva, who has been omitted from the squad.
Da Silva is coming off a strong domestic season that saw him score three hundreds in eight games at an average of 48.92. Nor was there a place for highly rated left-handed middle-order batter Alick Athanaze in the first Test squad since Daren Sammy took over as head coach for all three formats.
West Indies have made sweeping changes to their Test squad for the upcoming home Tests against Australia, which signals the start of their 2025-27 Test Championship Cycle. Roston Chase, who last played a Test match in March 2023 and was named the Test skipper recently, leads a fresh-looking squad which sees limited-overs skipper Shai Hope recalled.
Veteran pacer Kemar Roach has been left out while Shai Hope’s deputy in ODIs – Brandon King – has earned a maiden call-up. Shai Hope has scored 1,726 runs in 38 Tests, with two centuries and five half-centuries. There is no place for veteran seamer Kemar Roach, who has 284 Test wickets.
The three-Test series for the Frank Worrell Trophy, starting with a match in Barbados on June 25, will mark the start of the 2027 World Test Championship cycle for both teams, with the Windies looking to “build a bold, execution-driven identity in Test cricket” under new skipper Roston Chase.
Opener John Campbell returns to add to his 20 Tests, having last played three years ago, while Kevlon Anderson earns a maiden call up. Anderson, a 24-year-old from Guyana with a career average of 46.53 from 22 first-class matches, has earned his nod after a strong domestic season in the Caribbean where he hit three hundreds as he put up 573 runs in seven games at 71.62.
ODI vice-captain Brandon King gets a maiden call-up to the Test squad, while white-ball form has also influenced the return of Keacy Carty, all with the aim of fortifying the batting line-up. The Test squad was announced the day after star limited-overs batter Nicholas Pooran announced a sudden retirement from international cricket.
Daren Sammy excited for heading a new test squad
West Indies coach Daren Sammy has expressed his views on the squad selected to take on Australia in a three match test series.
“I’m excited about the inclusion of young prospect Kevlon Anderson who comes in after solid seasons in our domestic competitions to help provide stability in the top order, while the return of Shai Hope is welcomed given his consistency in white ball cricket,” Sammy said in a statement.
“Brandon King’s inclusion fits a role we have identified that needs special focus to take our team to those closer to the top of the rankings.
“We analysed what the top teams in the world are doing and what is needed for us to bridge the gap. We have identified a direction, along with the group of players and resources to give us the best advantage as we seek to take the team up ladder and challenge the best in the world.”
Tall swing-bowling allrounder Johann Layne is the third uncapped player named in the squad. A 21-year-old from Barbados, Layne has 64 wickets at 21.62 and his 458 runs include two fifties in his 18 first-class matches.
Jayden Seales, Alzarri Joseph, and Shamar Joseph, the hero of West Indies’ famous win at the Gabba in January 2024, will carry the pace attack, with 28-year-old seamer Anderson Phillip, fresh off a stint in county cricket with Lancashire and a five-wicket haul for West Indies A against South Africa A, providing back-up.
Captain chase and his deputy Jomel Warrican will carry the spin bowling load, meaning there was no place in the squad for Guyanese left-arm tweaker Gudakesh Motie.
“I am truly looking forward to this series because we want to start off strongly and make our home turf a fortress during this cycle, while having our passionate and proud fans behind us,” Sammy added.
“The matches will be challenging but I believe in this core of players, and they are eager to wear the maroon and make our fans happy.”
Alongside Roach, Joshua da Silva, Alick Athanaze, Kavem Hodge, Amir Jangoo, Gudakesh Motie and Kevin Sinclair are players who featured in Pakistan but have not been picked for the Australia Tests. The first of the three Tests will start on June 25 in Barbados. The second Test will be played in St George’s and the third in Kingston. The series is part of the 2025-27 World Test Championship cycle.
West Indies Full Squad: Roston Chase (capt), Jomel Warrican, Kevlon Anderson, Kraigg Brathwaite, John Campbell, Keacy Carty, Justin Greaves, Shai Hope, Tevin Imlach, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Johann Layne, Mikyle Louis, Anderson Phillip, Jayden Seales
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