ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – The Cricket West Indies (CWI) Senior Men’s Selection Panel today announced the squad for the first match of the Cycle Pure Agarbathi Test Series powered by Yes Bank against India. The Panel named 13 squad members and two traveling reserve players for the match which will be played at Windsor Park in Dominica from 12 to 16 July.

There is a first-time call-up for left-handed batter Kirk McKenzie, while fellow left-hander Alick Athanaze is the other uncapped player in the squad. There are recalls for allrounder Rahkeem Cornwall, who played his last Test in November 2021, and left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican who was in the squad which toured Zimbabwe but missed the last tour of South Africa in February.

Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie is unavailable for selection as he is undergoing rehabilitation from injury.

“We were very impressed with the approach to batsmanship of McKenzie and Athanaze on the recent ‘A’ Team tour of Bangladesh. These are two young players who got good scores and played with great maturity, and we believe they deserve an opportunity,” said Lead Selector, The Most Hon. Dr Desmond Haynes.

In reply to Narper

that batting team will need to surprise us again

Hopefully Tage and Kraigg can lock it down for at least 1 session

In reply to doosra

No hope in the greatest #3? De bajan great Reifer...

In reply to anthonyp

The cappo needs a bajan quorum around him.....the trend will continue

Either going with a long tail or McKenzie will be debuting.

In reply to doosra
"Hopefully Tage and Kraigg can lock it down for at least 1 session"
Paint and Tage gon show them how to play baazball.

In reply to Narper

Camaraderie... Gotta keep the Bajan friends close

Most likely all the Bajans will play the first test.

In reply to WICFan

McKenzie will be on the bench... Most likely this is the starting XI

1. Kraigg
2. Tage
3. Greatest #3
4. Athanaze
5. Blackwood
6. DaSilva
7. Holder
8. Joseph
9. Warrican
10. Roach
11. Gabriel

In reply to anthonypor they go for cornwall in place of warrican for his batting ability

In reply to Narper

Reifer is the new Chase

Allyuh lucky Bumrah is not coming!!


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Warrican??? the man did not even make the call up for the A team. I would have gone with Sinclair over him but I suppose that would be too similar to Rakheem. Congrats to the Wall for his recall. I really hope that McKenzie makes it at #3 before Reifer. Reifer can fight for Holder's of Blackwood's place.

In reply to PalsofMine

How in hell does he get called up against India? These selectors are real jokers.

In reply to buds


Warrican to me not even the best spinner out of Barbados...between Comarie Boyce and Joshua Bishop.

Warrican is Brathwaite's peer so he gets the pick even in the Barbados lineup.

Reifer is a useful Test fifth bowler who gives his all. Imo he would have been more useful in Zim than Paul and Shepherd with bat and ball.. how could a man be your No.3 test batsman and can't get an ODI play?

[b]In reply to buds
Bump

WHOEVER U PICK EEDIOTS MIGHTY INDIA IS READY TO WHIP YOUR RASSES WITH IN 2 DAYS.

DEDING WID LAF HALF BRAIN SKUNTS.

In reply to analyst-kid

Why Reefa on the squad when Athanaze and Kirk selected, two in-form young guns ready to go!

In reply to analyst-kid

Must be very distressing for both Paul and Shepherd to hear that Reefa is more useful than them, sometimes you have to wonder which cricket are you watching, you certainly not talking about the same Reefa, WI incumbent who couldn’t buy runs or wickets against an A-team?

In reply to Slipfeeler

The selectors are smoking some bad weed. That's all I can think of with some of these picks. SMH

In reply to doosra

Ur 100 % correct… once those fellas gone, it will be a domino effect…

In reply to Slipfeeler

Paul and Shepherd let us down in Zim...when Netherlands were chasing 375...they were runs truxks and it took Chase to get the wickets. They were so useless that he gave Chase the penultimate over....a big mistak

Reifer will give his all despite his limitations and he is more a situational player ....sometimes I really wonder what cricket you guys are watching.

In reply to analyst-kid

In a test team Paul would be an asset… Selectors are clueless and just hoping for dem selection to pan out.
Warrican should not make a team before Paul. though i understand their bowling is different, it still doesn’t matter…

With the squad announced I think the batting is a bit slim so the two debutants will play.
Baithwaite
Chanderpaul
Athanaze
Blackwood
Mckenzie
Holder
DeSilva
Cornwall
Joseph
Roach
Gabriel

More and more I realise Desmond Haynes does not have a clue what he is doing. Every series the squads look completely different and completely lacking too. Look at this 13 man squad - are you telling me that Kirk McKenzie is now our back up batsman in test because he made a few runs in a few innings? Why is Brandon King not around the test squad? What did Warrican do between getting dropped for the SA series and now to be picked again? Why not Kevin Sinclair? What is this obsession with Reifer and being adamant that he is a number 3 batsman when for all his years he never batted at 3. What is this excuse about Mayers having a niggle when we just played him as a main bowler in the last two ODIs. Haynes playing musical chairs with the squads.

Well 13 man has been selected..... flexibility is now norm in test cricket..

Tage
McKenzie
Braithwaite
Blackwood
Athanaze
Silva
Holder
Cornwall
Joseph
Roach
Gabriel
This change in batting order gives the team balance .... experience wise....
At the same time I doubt ... Reifer may bat at 3....

In reply to Onionman0

We have the same team but in a different batting order.

In reply to Raggs

Team has already been selected...so playing XI.... should be the best possible combination.... according to me...this is best within selected....for me Reifer & Warican sits....
Both Tage & McKenzie opened in Bangladesh A tour...did commendable job... Braithwaite can be best no. 3.... Blackwood batted in the regional at 4....

In reply to b4u8me2

We will sing from the same hymn book my friend. If the excuse re Mayers is valid, then ok..I doubt it tho
as every effort is being made to keep Reifer who is likely to be the second allrounder behind Holder in this
squad regardless where he bats. McKenzie is not ready in my view. He needs some more grounding.

Ath is ready though and I want to see him have a great debut.Next to Carty who is being turned into white ball exclusively,
he has been the most impressive batter of late to emerge from he Age group WC campaign in recent years
but where he bats should be interesting. Carty should be recruited for the 2nd Test squad now that Brooks has been ditched. Has he ?

I would not have chosen Cornwall or Warrican but Haynes has proffered his reasons and I accept though disagree.
The movie line ' somebody up there loves me' is applicable to Warrican. Somebody down here too for tht matter.
Everyone on here knows I a Chase guy. I am not happy.He was not even mentioned. Phew

Sorry that Seale not ready.He will be missed.Roach the wonderful servant is not getting younger and Gabriel cannot carry a heavy
workload although he has the bite with the red cherry along with Al Jo.
Happy hunting guys, I will only watch for so long as I must see reasons to watch.Its summer and lots of other things to do.
And thank God that Bumrah and Pant not around. But Ashwin and Jadeja are. Have mercy

In reply to Raggs

I like your team but given that Angel is injury prone it is likely that Reifer will play as a cover..McKenzie will be the odd man out

In reply to FanAttick

this Reifer love affair...I'm not feeling it..

In reply to Raggs

Sorry,. didn't see your team...

In reply to Onionman0

In reply to analyst-kid

In reply to Raggs

There is a reason for Mackie as an opener!

In reply to XDFIX

i agree with 101 that Paul should have been in the India series. If you look at his record, he has never been really good with the white ball but has been quite good with the red ball. As for the Mackenzie v Reifer debate, I agree that McKenzie is not quite ready as yet for test cricket as he has only had one season of FC cricket. I would have gone with Carty as the possible No. 3 but again the selectors ignore him for red ball cricket and pick him for white ball. I do find it interesting that someone else has suggested that Kraigg bat at No 3 as I have thought that he should try dropping down to this position and probably will if McKenzie has another good FC season and can force his way into the team. Athas bats at No 4. That is his preferred position and if he is starting his international career against one of the best teams in the world, he has to be in his comfort zone as far as possible. I definitely would have gone for Keemo in the absence of Mayers and I definitely would not have gone for Warrican in the absence of Motie. I would have gone to Sinclair instead. On more than one occasion this year, he has proven himself to be an excellent 4th innings bowler.

In reply to PalsofMine

have Moti been discarded already

In reply to anthonyp

thats a long ass tail

In reply to PalsofMine

In reply to Raggs

In reply to Onionman0

This only work if people thinking...no one in WI backroom has had a thought for quite some time...dem man just on autopilot ...one approach all the time..

XI I think should play;

Braithwaite
Tage
Athanaze
Blackwood
Mc Kenzie
Da Silva
Holder
Cornwall
Alzarri
Roach
Gabriel


Who I think will play:

Braithwaite
Tage
Reifer
Blackwood
Athanaze
Da Silva
Holder
Cornwall
Alzarri
Roach
Gabriel

In reply to Narper

In reply to Wally-1

In reply to b4u8me2
Dude the last 3-4 months CWI was awaiting dates for the Indian tour, with players in Zim, the selectors picked players available.
Please Holder and Joseph came home, leaving a squad of 13 players for the last two matches.
What would had happened if Motie was on that tour, that would had left 12 players available for the last couple of matches.
Maybe that one of the reason why neither Chase or Sinclair was considered.
India was clever to have a 2 day practice match at one of the world best grounds, the West Indies was unable to have one, with only 11 players available.