4-Day players eager to break into Windies Test squad

Cricket West Indies Regional 4-Day Championships…

By Brandon Corlette

With West Indies Test Team suffering huge defeats in recent Test series, new players may be the missing ingredient for victory in the upcoming Test series. With three Test matches scheduled to be played in Barbados, Antigua and St Lucia, starting from January 23, the upcoming Regional 4-Day tournament will expose potential Test players.

The West Indies Test Team may have space for batsmen in particular, since the current crop of batsmen have failed to score runs consistently. Sunil Ambris in particular will be seeking to dominate Regional bowlers to allow the selectors to provide him with another opportunity.
Kieran Powell’s position in the Test team may be in jeopardy. The opener has 40 Test matches under his belt, with three Test centuries in his curriculum vitae and six half-centuries in 76 Test innings. He continues to have soft dismissals throughout his career, and he may be one of the players that require axing by the selectors.
Kraigg Brathwaite is among the few specialist Test batsmen in world cricket, along with India’s Cheteshwar Pujara. Brathwaite has not been making significant contributions with the bat in recent times. The Regional 4-Day tournament may assist the opener in attaining batting form ahead of the England series.

One of the most outstanding captains in the Caribbean, Leon Johnson, would want to score runs at a consistent rate. The looming season may be the classy left hander’s breakthrough season, wherein he makes a comeback to the Windies team.
Jermaine Blackwood, the attacking Jamaican middle order batsman, has shown his brilliance in the 2018-2019 Regional Super 50 tournament. Blackwood will be looking to prove himself in the 4-Day tournament and make a return to the fold in the England Test series. Blackwood scored an attacking 79* against England in the Wisden 2017 Trophy tournament.

Guyana’s opening batsman, Chanderpaul Hemraj, who made his One Day International debut against India, had a decent Regional 2017-2018 tournament, scoring 623 runs. When available for selection to represent the Guyana Jaguars in the 4-Day tournament, scoring runs in the longer format will be his priority.
Barbados Pride captain and former West Indies under 19 captain, Shamrah Brooks, has been scoring runs regionally, and another decent 4-Day tournament may put him in contention for Windies selection.