ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Evin Lewis’s career took another twist yesterday when he pulled out of both the one-day and Twenty20 squads for the imminent series against India.
In a statement, Cricket West Indies said the left-handed opener had withdrawn from the squads “due to personal reasons”, but did not elaborate.
Lewis has been replaced in the ODI squad by Test opener Kieran Powell who is already in India, while left-hander Nicholas Pooran will fill the vacancy in the T20 squad. The 26-year-old Lewis also pulled out of the T20 series against New Zealand last December for what CWI also described as “personal reasons.”
And the speculation over the player’s future intensified earlier this month when he also declined a white-ball retainer contract from the board.
Lewis, currently representing Trinidad and Tobago Red Force in the Super50, has made 1010 runs from 35 ODIs at an average of 32. He averages 33 from 17 T20 Internationals, with two hundreds already.
He will be joined on the sidelines by fast bowler Alzarri Joseph has also been ruled out of the ODI squad with fitness concerns, despite playing the last three matches of the ongoing Regional Super50 for Windies B.
The 21-year-old had been included in the Test squad for the just concluded two-match series only to be ruled out due to question marks over his fitness, and replaced by rookie Sherman Lewis.
Subsequently, Joseph was also named in the ODI squad subject to a fitness test but CWI said Monday he would miss the India tour and “remains under observation for his return to full fitness.”
He has been replaced by left-arm seamer Obed McCoy who was already in the T20 squad.
Since the squad was announced just over a week ago, Joseph has turned out for Windies B, sending 10 full overs in the fixture against Red Force last Thursday and blasting a quick-fire unbeaten half-century. The Antiguan returned to competitive cricket in June after several months out recovering from a stress fracture of the back.
West Indies open the five-match ODI series in Guhawati next Sunday.
