West Indies Name Squad For First Test Of Australia Series

The Selection Panel of the West Indies Cricket Board announced today a 14-member West Indies squad for the first Test of the International Home Test Series against Australia, starting this Wednesday at Windsor Park here.

Squad

Denesh Ramdin (Captain), Devendra Bishoo, Jermaine Blackwood

Kraigg Brathwaite , Darren Bravo, Rajindra Chandrika

Shane Dowrich, Shannon Gabriel, Jason Holder

Shai Hope, Veerasammy Permaul, Kemar Roach

Marlon Samuels, Jerome Taylor

Chanderpaul ignored

West Indies officially turned its back on Shivnairine Chanderpaul, the team’s most experienced player, by ignoring the call for him to be included in the team by leading sport journalists, former players, and members of the public.

Chanderpaul had wanted to play in the series against Australia as a bon voyage.

My request to finish up with the Australian series is not asking too much,” Chanderpaul reportedly said in the local newspaper Kaiteur News.

“It gives me a chance to acknowledge my supporters at home… I should not be pushed into retirement.”

Lara said Chanderpaul should play even if his Test run record for the West Indies would be extinguished.

“It has absolutely nothing to do with runs or numbers,” Lara told the Trinidad and Tobago Guardian.

Chanderpaul, at age 40, is a veteran of 164 Tests who has been a fixture of the squad since his 1994 debut.

Chanderpaul has amassed 11,867 Test runs — 86 behind West Indies’ record run-getter Brian Lara.

“It has to do with respect and Chanderpaul has earned the right to say goodbye in an acceptable way. In fact, he should be allowed to do it in his own way.”

“The manner in which they deal with their players is despicable and should no longer be tolerated. When you look back to so many of our heroes and the manner in which they were dumped, it makes you shudder.”

West Indies and Australia will play two Tests — in Dominica from Wednesday an at Sabina Park, Jamaica, from June 11-15.