ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Opener Kraigg Brathwaite is likely to be called up to the West Indies squad as cover for Chris Gayle, as injury worries persists over the talismanic left-hander.
The 21-year-old Brathwaite has trained with the West Indies squad for the last few days of their camp in Barbados and was yesterday conspicuously excluded from the 13-member West Indies High Performance Centre squad to face Bangladesh A in the second four-day “Test” starting today.
CMC Sports also understands that Brathwaite, who stroked 164 against Bangladesh A in the first “Test” last week, is also expected to travel with the Windies squad to Jamaica on Wednesday, ahead of the first Test which bowls off at Sabina Park next Sunday.
The Barbadian right-hander has played ten Tests since making his debut as a teenager three years ago.
Gayle, meanwhile, has been hampered by a back injury in recent weeks that resulted in his poor form during the recent Indian Premier League. He said in an interview last week that he would consult a specialist in Germany about the injury.
The Jamaican was scheduled to arrive in Barbados on Sunday to join the Windies camp.
West Indies start their second warm-up match of the camp on Monday, when they face a Barbados Select XI at 3Ws Oval.
Kraigg Brathwaite, who captained the WI HPC to a crushing 351-run victory over the Bangladesh A in the first “Test”, has been replaced at the helm by namesake Carlos Brathwaite for the second game at Kensington Oval.
The talented fast bowling all-rounder leads a side that sees two changes, with fast bowler Nelon Pascal in for pacer Ronsford Beaton and Shacaya Thomas coming in for Kraigg Brathwaite.
SQUAD – Carlos Brathwaite (captain), Leon Johnson (vice captain), Sunil Ambris, Devendra Bishoo, Jermaine Blackwood, Jonathan Carter, Sheldon Cottrell, Miguel Cummins, Assad Fudadin, Ashley Nurse, Nelon Pascal, Shacaya Thomas, Chadwick Walton.
