Veteran speedster Shannon Gabriel along with left-arm spinners Gudakesh Motie and Jomel Warrican have been recalled for next month’s tour of Zimbabwe after being named in a 15-man squad announced by Cricket West Indies on Tuesday.
The 34-year-old Gabriel, once the spearhead of the Caribbean side’s attack, has not featured in a Test for 15 months due to injury and loss of form, but now returns alongside former new ball partner Kemar Roach, of who will lead the bowling group.
West Indies will face Zimbabwe in the opening Test starting Saturday, February 4 at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo and will return to the same venue to bowl the second Test on Sunday, February 12.
Gabriel turned out for his native Trinidad and Tobago Red Force last year, struggling in the first-class campaign with a single wicket from four matches, but excelling in the Super50 Cup with 15 wickets from seven outings.
His presence will be critical for West Indies as 21-year-old rated seamer Jayden Seales has been ruled out of the upcoming tour after undergoing knee surgery, while fellow Trinidadian Anderson Phillip, 26, has also been ruled out for cause of injury.
“With our fast players, Seales has done extremely well for us since he started in 2021, but with his absence, we have decided that Gabriel would be able to fill that role best,” said the head coach, on the Honorable Desmond Haynes.
“He is an experienced player who has been at international level for more than 10 years and has knowledge of the conditions in Zimbabwe when we won there in 2017.”
Gabrieli has taken 161 wickets from 56 Tests.
Warrican, meanwhile, played his last Test 15 months ago but led the Barbados Pride attack in last year’s First Class championship with 13 wickets at 25 runs apiece.
Motie, 27, made his Test debut last June against Bangladesh but has not played since.
“We looked at the conditions we expect to play in and have included two left-arm spinners who didn’t go to Australia in Motie and Warrican,” says Haynes.
Captain Kraigg Brathwaite leads a team that includes impressive left-handed opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul, who excelled in Australia’s recent tour with an average of 40.
The selectors have kept faith with Barbadian all-rounder Raymon Reifer even though he missed the Australia tour after picking up a groin injury, while Antigua and Barbuda batsman Devon Thomas – who made his Test debut Down Under – is also held.
However, stylish right-armer Shamarh Brooks has paid the price for 52 runs from four innings in Australia and has been dropped.
“This is the start of the international calendar for 2023 and we will hope to start with a win. We appreciate that it will not be such an easy task as Zimbabwe, like most other teams in world cricket, play very well on their home soil on pitches that will support their style of play.”
“The West Indies have won all five of their Test series against the African nation,” explained Haynes. (CMC/ML)
SQUAD – Kraigg Brathwaite (captain), Jermaine Blackwood (vice-captain), Nkrumah Bonner, Tagnarine Chanderpaul, Roston Chase, Joshua Da Silva, Shannon Gabriel, Jason Holder, Alzarri Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Gudakesh Motie, Raymar Roach, Kejfer, Devon Thomas , Jomel Warrican.
Read our email. Quickly. Factual. Free.
Sign up and stay up to date with Barbados’ free latest news.
