West Indies have recalled experienced fast bowler Shannon Gabriel following a knee injury to Jayden Seales for their upcoming tour of Zimbabwe. They have also bolstered their Test squad with two left-arm spinners in Gudakesh Motie and Jomel Warrican.
Jayden Seales is recovering from knee surgery and was unavailable for selection. Anderson Phillip, too, was unavailable due to injury. Shamarh Brooks has been left out of the team.
West Indies recall Pacer Shannon Gabriel for 2 Tests against Zimbabwe in 2023
Shannon Gabriel last played a Test match against Sri Lanka in November 2021 and brings with him an experience of 56 Test matches. He was the wicket-taker in the Super50 Cup for the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force in November last year.
Jomel Warrican also last played for West Indies in the same series in Sri Lanka, while Gudakesh Motie, who made his debut against Bangladesh in June 2022, gets another game.
“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,” chief selector Desmond Haynes reasoned.
“With our speed 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. He (Gabriel) is an experienced footballer who has been at international level for over 10 years and has knowledge of the conditions in Zimbabwe when we won there in 2017.”
West Indies Team: 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, Raymon Reifer, Kemar Roach, , Jomel Warrican
Gudakesh Motion and Jomel Warrican also return against Zimbabwe
Spinners Jomel Warrican and Gudakesh Motie will also return to the fray after being included in the 15-man party. Shannon Gabriel, 34, made his last Test appearance in Sri Lanka in November 2021.
However, with Jayden Seales rehabilitating from knee surgery, Shannon Gabriel could be reunited with Kemar Roach and Jason Holder in the West Indies’ batting order. Jomel Warrican also played the last of his 13 Tests in Sri Lanka in 2021, while Gudakesh Motie can add to the lone cap he scored against Bangladesh in June last year.
West Indies play two Tests in Zimbabwe, both at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo, with the first Test starting on February 4. West Indies will have a three-day warm-up match against a home team from January 28 to 30 at Tha Bulawayo Athletic Club, Cricket West Indies.
West Indies were hit by multiple injuries during their 2-0 loss in Australia and are without Shamarh Brooks, Anderson Phillip and Marquino Mindley, who all played in the second Test in Adelaide.
