West Indies Test players to be encamped in Antigua this week as India series looms

By Brandon Corlette

The busy days in West Indies cricket will continue. As the One-Day International team battle for a spot to qualify for the 50-over World Cup, the Test players are gearing up for the India Test series, which stars on July 12 in Dominica.
In a matter of days, the squad for the India Test series should be announced, and during this week, some of the Test players will be encamped in Antigua to intensify preparations for the two Tests against India.

According to veteran international cricket commentator Joseph “Reds” Perreira, some of the players should be heading to Antigua for a camp this week. Perreira said that the West Indies selectors would have to make some bold decisions as it relates to the selection of the Test team.

“We have no specific names for the camp. One can read the tea leaves that (Kraigg) Brathwaite, (Tagenarine) Chanderpaul, (Joshua) Da Sivla, (Kemar) Roach, (Jermaine) Blackwood, (Alick) Atahanaze and (Raymon) Reifer are more or less automatic. We do not know the medical situation between (Jayden) Seales and (Gudakesh) Motie, but we have to look at guidance from the West Indies A tour,” he said.

“One would think that the third opener would be (Kirk) McKenzie, and (Kevin) Sinclair could be an automatic pick. (Jair) McCallister, along with Jordan had a good A tour, along with Drakes, who played in the Headley-Weekes series,”
While it was unofficially circulated that Alzarri Joseph, Jason Holder and Kyle Mayers will return to the Caribbean from Zimbabwe for the first Test, Reds is asking who would be the player heading to Zimbabwe.
“If the West Indies send those three players back to the Caribbean while the Qualifiers are going on, with (Yannic) Cariah having an operation, the West Indies will be down to 11 players in Zimbabwe. Are they planning to send a reinforcement player or spinner. The other young spinner (leggie) we saw recently was the Jamaican Abhijai Mansingh.”

“It is probably the most unusual situation facing the CWI and the selectors, while being caught up trying to qualify for the World Cup, and three days after you start a Test series against India in Dominica. I can expect the selectors to be bold and we can have a couple of new caps,” Reds explained.
The veteran commentator also asked the question as who should be the back-up wicket-keeper for the India Tests? Should it be Tevin Imlach?

India tour of West Indies: Test series
July 12-July 16: 1st Test, Windsor Park, Roseau, Dominica
July 20-July 24: 2nd Test, Queen’s Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad
India tour of West Indies: ODI series
July 27: 1st ODI, Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados
July 29: 2nd ODI, Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados
August 1: 3rd ODI, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad
India tour of West Indies: T20I series
August 4: 1st T20I, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad
August 6: 2nd T20I, Providence Stadium, Guyana
August 8: 3rd T20I, Providence Stadium, Guyana
August 12: 4th T20I, Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Turf Ground, Lauderhill, Florida
August 13: 5th T20I, Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Turf Ground, Lauderhill, Florida