ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Uncapped all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite was named in a 15-member squad for their upcoming One-day International series on the tour of Bangladesh.
The 23-year-old Brathwaite is the only complete newcomer in the squad which will play three ODIs in Bangladesh.
Chris Gayle remained exiled from the side, Dwayne Bravo continues to find it hard to convince the selectors, and Ramnaresh Sarwan was a last-minute withdrawal, following an injury, and was replaced by left-handed opener Kieran Powell.
Brathwaite, a tall, rugged fast bowling all-rounder, got the nod without any regional One-day experience, although he was a more than useful performer for the Combined Campuses & Colleges in the last W-I-C-B Regional first-class championship.
He scored 265 runs at an average of 22.08, and grabbed 26 wickets at 19.46 apiece in eight matches, helping the CCC to reach the Final.
Gayle remained on the periphery of the team, following his highly-publicised clashes with the West Indies Cricket Board.
West Indies coach Ottis Gibson demanded a public apology for comments Gayle made in his highly controversial radio interview with Jamaican radio station, KLAS, but the former West Indies captain has refused.
This robs the side of Gayle’s vast experience, particularly with Sarwan sidelined, Bravo out of favour, and Chanderpaul no longer under consideration for the shorter forms of the game.
The 21-year-old Powell attended the recent training camp in Barbados, and replaced Sarwan when it was apparent that the former West Indies captain would be unable to make the trip.
Unconfirmed reports indicated that he had a recurrence of the back injury that sidelined him for close to a year, but it was unclear if he would be considered for the two Tests that follow.
Bravo has gone off the boil in recent times, following a lay-off after surgery on an ankle a couple of years ago, and his star has been eclipsed by his younger Darren.
He took a questionable, self-imposed break from the game during the last home series against India, and will have to fight to regain his place in the side.
With the likes of Andre Russell and Brathwaite in the line-up, his absence may not be too badly missed.
The rest of the players pick themselves including big-hitting Kieron Pollard and recently capped players Danza Hyatt and Anthony Martin.
West Indies are scheduled to arrive in Bangladesh on October 4 for a month-long tour of the Asian nation, where they also play two Tests and a Twenty20 International against the Bengal Tigers.
After two limited-overs practice matches on October 7 and 9 at the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Fatullah, West Indies open the international campaign with a day/night T20 match on October 11 at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Mirpur.
The visitors will also play their first two day/night ODI matches on October 13 and 15, both at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium before moving to the port city of Chittagong, where they will play the third ODI on October 18 at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium.
Squad:
Darren Sammy (captain), Adrian Barath, Devendra Bishoo, Carlos Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Danza Hyatt, Anthony Martin, Kieron Pollard, Kieran Powell, Denesh Ramdin, Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels, Lendl Simmons
