West Indies announce squad for Bangladesh Tests, Kevin Wickham earns maiden call-up

Cricket West Indies (CWI) have announced a 15-member squad for their upcoming two-match Test series against Bangladesh on Wednesday (October 14). This will mark West Indies’ final two matches in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle.

Young batter Kevin Wickham has been handed his maiden Test call-up, thanks to his sensational performances in domestic cricket. However, CWI have also made two major changes to their squad, with Alzarri Joseph missing out due to fitness concerns and Shai Hope being rested.

The team management has also brought back opener John Campbell after his recovery from a hamstring injury, while all-rounder Keemo Paul has been included as Joseph’s replacement. Earlier,ICC punishes 2 West Indies stars after Ranchi T20I incidents in historic win.

Kevin Wickham earns maiden Test call-up after sensational domestic performances

The 23-year-old Kevin Wickham has earned his first Test call-up after his outstanding performances in the West Indies Championship, the domestic four-day competition.

The Barbados batter scored three centuries in three consecutive innings and made a strong case for the Test selection. Wickham smashed 105, 153, and an unbeaten 108 to finish the West Indies Championship with 393 runs at an impressive average of 78.60.

He ended the competition as the third-highest run-scorer. The young batter has also scored six centuries in 25 first-class matches and has an overall batting average of 40.88. His impressive form has opened the door for his test debut against Bangladesh.

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Alzarri Joseph and Shai Hope miss Bangladesh Test series

Fast bowler Alzarri Joseph has been “withdrawn” from the Test squad following a “routine medical assessment” and “consultation with specialists. Cricket West Indies has decided to manage Joseph’s workload and avoid the risk of injury, keeping in mind the greater physical demands on fast bowlers in red-ball cricket.

The decision was made after Joseph’s agreement. However, Joseph has not been ruled out of the West Indies’ white-ball teams. The Caribbean side is not scheduled to play any white-ball matches in the next month after their ongoing tour of India.

The CWI stated, “While he is not ruled out from shorter formats, the medical team has stated that the demands of two consecutive Test matches in Bangladesh, which require fast bowlers to sustain repeated high-intensity spells over extended periods, present a significantly greater workload and injury risk than the shorter white-ball formats. Joseph will continue working with the CWI medical team and specialists in preparation for a full return to the longer format.”

Meanwhile, Shai Hope has been rested for the Bangladesh tour “after an extended run across all three formats.” The team management wants to manage Hope’s “workload and wellness” ahead of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier, scheduled for February 2027.

John Campbell and Keemo Paul return for Bangladesh tour

Opener John Campbell has returned to the Test squad after recovering from the hamstring injury that forced him to miss West Indies’ home Test series against Pakistan. Kirk McKenzie had replaced Campbell for that series, so he has now made way for Campbell’s return.

All-rounder Keemo Paul has also earned a place in the squad as Joseph’s replacement. The first Test between Bangladesh and the West Indies will begin on October 28 in Mirpur, Dhaka, while the second Test is scheduled to start on November 5 in Sylhet.

West Indies squad for Bangladesh Tests

Roston Chase (C), Jomel Warrican (VC), Joshua Bishop, John Campbell, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Joshua Da Silva (WK), Justin Greaves, Kavem Hodge, Amir Jangoo (WK), Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Keemo Paul, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales, Kevin Wickham

Source: cricketaddictor.com