SPORTS
Jonathan Ramnansingh
Trinidad and Tobago fast bowler Shannon Gabriel and Bajan left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican have been recalled to the West Indies squad after more than a year’s absence from the squad.
Guyanese Gudakesh Motie, another left-arm spinner, was also named in the 15-member squad for the upcoming two-match Test series in Zimbabwe, which takes place on February 4.
This was announced by the Cricket West Indies (CWI) men’s selection panel on Tuesday.
Gabriel’s last Test match was against Sri Lanka in November 2021, while Warrican’s last international appearance was also in Sri Lanka in December 2021, when he played in both matches in the Test series.
Motie made his Test debut for the West Indies in Antigua in June 2022 in the first Test of the two-match series win against Bangladesh.
Gabriel has taken 161 wickets in 56 Tests, placing him 12th on the West Indies’ all-time wicket-taking list, and was most recently the leading wicket-taker in the CG United Super50 Cup for TT Red Force in November this year passed. .
Kraigg Brathwaite captains the maroon with Jermaine Blackwood as vice-captain. Tagenarine Chanderpaul, who made his Test debut in November, is included along with Joshua Da Silva and Kyle Mayers, to name a few.
TT fast bowlers Jayden Seales is unavailable for selection after a knee injury and subsequent surgery, while Anderson Phillip is also unavailable due to injury.
CWI chief selector Desmond Haynes said he hopes the regional team will start the new season with a win over Zimbabwe.
“We appreciate that it will not be such an easy task as Zimbabwe, like most other teams in world cricket, play very well at home on grounds that will support their style of play.
“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.
“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 ten years and has knowledge of the conditions in Zimbabwe when we won there in 2017.”
West Indies will play both Test matches at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo, with the first Test taking place from February 4-8 and the second from February 12-16.
Ahead of the two-Test series, West Indies will have a three-day warm-up match against a home side set for January 28-30 at the Bulawayo Athletic Club.
All matches start at 4am (TT time).
The last Test series between Zimbabwe and the West Indies was also played at the Queens Sports Club in October 2017. The West Indies won the two-match series 1–0, winning the first contest by 117 runs, while the second Test ended in a draw.
FULL squad
Kraigg Brathwaite (captain), Jermaine Blackwood (vice-captain), Nkrumah Bonner, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Roston Chase, Joshua Da Silva, Shannon Gabriel, Jason Holder, Alzarri Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Gudakesh Motie, Raymon Reifer, Kemar Thomas Roach, Devon Jomel Warrican
