The West Indies cricket team has been dealt a significant blow right before their crucial Test series against India. Their formidable fast bowler, Alzarri Joseph, has been officially ruled out of the entire two-match contest due to a lower back injury.
Joseph’s absence stems from a recurrence of a previously managed lower back issue, with recent scans confirming a degeneration. This news is a major concern for the team, especially with the series opener set for October 2nd in Ahmedabad.
In response to Joseph’s withdrawal, Barbadian left-arm pacer Jediah Blades has been called up as a replacement. Blades, who already has caps in One-Day and T20 Internationals, will now join the Test squad.
Further complicating matters, experienced all-rounder Jason Holder was also unavailable for selection, having declined the offer to join the squad due to a pre-planned medical procedure. This means the West Indies are missing two key figures for this challenging series.
Adding to their woes, the team had already lost another pacer, Shamar Joseph, to injury earlier. Uncapped all-rounder Johann Layne was previously brought in to fill that void, highlighting the growing injury list for the touring side.
The revised West Indies squad for the India Test series includes:
- Roston Chase (Captain)
- Jomel Warrican
- Kevlon Anderson
- Alick Athanaze
- John Campbell
- Tagenarine Chanderpaul
- Justin Greaves
- Shai Hope
- Tevin Imlach
- Jediah Blades
- Johann Layne
- Brandon King
- Anderson Phillip
- Khary Pierre
- Jayden Seales