The Independent Voice of West Indies Cricket

Windies, Australia confirm XIs ahead of 1st Test

Tue, Jun 24, '25

 

Windies v Australia

The prevailing northeast trade winds are a constant in beautiful Barbados but the winds of change have swept through both the West Indies team and Australia as they begin a new World Test Championship cycle in Bridgetown.

West Indies have not played Test cricket since January in Pakistan and begin the cycle under a new captain in Roston Chase after Kraigg Brathwaite stepped down. Extraordinarily, Chase has not played a Test match since March 2023, having not played in West Indies' last 13.

He leads a new-look squad which, for the opening Test, sees a debut for Brandon King and returns for John Campbell and Shai Hope - the latter as wicketkeeper - for the first time since 2022 and 2021 respectively.

Meanwhile, veteran Kemar Roach was left out of the squad entirely despite playing in each of West Indies' last three series. Joshua da Silva could not earn a recall either on account of his Gabba heroics against Australia and a recent run spree in the West Indies Championship, with selectors holding firm after dropping him in Pakistan.

Read more at Cricinfo

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