After the eminently forgettable 2025 test year, this is the squad that I feel should be considered for the 2026 tests (in batting order):

Greaves

King

Hodge

Hope

Jangoo

DaSilva (capt/wktkpr)

Keemo Paul

Warrican

Alzharri

Shamar

Seales

Reserves:

Kraigg

Kevlon Anderson

Imlach

Motie

Shields

Roach

@PalsofMine

What is the rationale for selecting Keemo Paul at this particular point?

Six months ahead of the naming of any test squad is a long way off to be guessing but I like some of what you have suggested - especially the captaincy going to Da Silva, he would have been my choice ahead of Roston Chase - who I like as a white ball player but nothing more. Chase simply must go.

Despite his lack of runs, I'd persist with Tevin Imlach behind the stumps as he is a much better keeper and that is his primary role - alternative keeper-batsmen will give you what? An extra 10 runs? Not worth it for what will be lost behind the stumps.

Need one proper opening batsman to go with King, I'd bat Greaves in the middle.

Need to see a batsman or two make the step up to help out this brittle unit - the bowling is fine and should be for the next few years - but the regional set up, as we have discussed, is not structured in a way to assist the promising youngsters and help them climb up the ladder.

Again, I'll share my thoughts:

Shorter regional championship - one round of matches played on best pitches

Followed immediately by Headley-Weekes format tournament - pit the best against the best

A team schedule increase - MUST be of paramount focus

These steps will squeeze the talent to the top and should harder their resolve during the process. No more mediocrity being rewarded by a place in the test squad.

@mikelegend

i think that Keemo Paul is the best natural allrounder in the region. He is a much better red ball cricketer than white ball cricketer and one of my biggest regrets is when they pulled him from an A tour a few years ago for him just to sit on the bench in the Caribbean where bowling in England would probably have been an ideal development for his talent. I am aware of his frequent injuries which can be addressed by medical help and probably careful management of his playing time. I dont know what is happening in Guyana why he has not played for them in the past couple years but he should be picked up by TT or some other team that lacks good fast bowling talent and allowed to play if Guyana does not want him.

@PalsofMine

It doesn't matter who they pick they need to compete otherwise this Shallow Sammy experiment needs to be over!!!

@4REALQUICKS

Stop allowing regional teams to have spinners bowling 30 and 40 overs. We are doing our batsmen a dis-service. We are totally at sea against international teams fast bowlers yet we allow or batsmen to have so little crease time batting against pace regionally.

Over the years with all the overs the spinners bowl, have any spinner become a true international bowler?

Our fast bowlers are totally unprepared for the rigors of test cricket. This in turn make our top order brittle because they have no answer for even mediocre fast bowlers.

@seaegg99

And we not more at sea vs spin bowling? We have had lunge and push/prod batsmen since Lara and Shiv. The inability to play what other teams would consider rubbish spinners in NZ showed it! Those guys, even as right hand bats could not negotiate a rough outside leg stump. .

@PalsofMine

Surprised you omitted Sinclaire, Sampson and Apple from your squad.

@PalsofMine

Yep, would not argue with this squad , appears to me to be the best available.

@Scar

Our spinners no matter their names have not done anything on the international stage since who? Still you have to get pass the new ball and we can't even do that first to get set to handle the spinners.

@seaegg99

the thing with spinners is that they generally need some time to mature at the highest level. Especially when like ours they only get to play on favourable pitches and against batsmen who, because of the pitches, are completely unable to play spin.

It is therefore a Catch 22 situation. Are they really good enough or only flattering to deceive? Are they worth investing in? We have been more ready to invest in an undercooked batsman than an undercooked spinner. That may be one thing that needs to be revisited in 2026. I believe in a balanced bowling team. We seamers, a spinner and either a spinning or seaming allrounder but we have to get our spinners up to international standard and believe in them. The thinking that we dont pick our premier spinner but pick an untried pace bowler with a handful of first class matches is weird. A good spinner will bowl well on any pitch and we need to find a good spinner and have faith in him.

@PalsofMine

On average in regionals WI spinners bowl double or triple the amount of overs as the supposedly fast bowlers. How did our spinners look against international competition. Did any look like big wicket takers?

Other than Warrican on spin friendly wickets did we see something. Otherwise it was the fast bowlers doing the work and having to bowl 20+ overs in many cases. All this while regionally they do not get to bowl more than 15 overs a game or even if that much. Look how easily they break down because their bodies are no accustomed to doing this.

Again our top order batsmen aren't challenged by fast bowling so it does not even get out opponents having to use spin very much at all. We have become a bunch of pitiful players of fast bowling.