Jason Holder to Miss Bangladesh Tests for Shoulder Rehab; Alzarri Joseph, Kevin Sinclair Return

West Indies allrounder Jason Holder will miss the upcoming two-match Test series against Bangladesh, scheduled to start later this month, as he continues his rehabilitation for a shoulder injury. Holder’s absence will be a significant blow to the West Indies' squad, but his recovery remains the priority as he works towards regaining full fitness.

In positive news for the West Indies, offspinner Kevin Sinclair has been named in the squad after recovering from an injury that ruled him out of the home series against South Africa in August. Sinclair's return provides a boost to the West Indies' spin options for the series against Bangladesh.

Right-arm quick Anderson Phillip has also been recalled to the Test squad, marking his return to the side for the first time since December 2022, when he last featured in a Test in Australia. Phillip has been in good form, having recently taken wickets for Trinidad & Tobago in the domestic 50-over competition. His county stint with Lancashire, where he finished with nine wickets in a match against Worcestershire in late September, has also been a solid preparation for his return.

Fast bowler Alzarri Joseph, who was rested for the South Africa series due to a heavy workload, also returns to the Test fold. Joseph, who is currently playing in the T20I series against England, had missed the South Africa Tests but will now be available for selection in the upcoming Bangladesh series. Despite his return, Joseph's vice-captaincy role has been retained by wicketkeeper-batter Joshua Da Silva, who stood in as vice-captain during Joseph's absence.

In terms of squad changes, left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie and uncapped offspinner Bryan Charles have been dropped from the Test squad. Motie, who is currently playing in the white-ball series against England, was unable to make an impact in the South Africa Tests, taking just three wickets in two matches. Charles, who was hoping for a debut in the South Africa series, has been left out of the squad entirely.

The two-match Test series against Bangladesh will begin on November 22 in Antigua, with the second match scheduled for November 30 in Jamaica. Before the series, Kraigg Brathwaite will lead a CWI Select XI in a two-day warm-up match against Bangladesh on November 17-18 at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua.

West Indies Test Squad
Kraigg Brathwaite (capt), Joshua Da Silva (vice-capt), Alick Athanaze, Keacy Carty, Justin Greaves, Kavem Hodge, Tevin Imlach, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Mikyle Louis, Anderson Phillip, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales, Kevin Sinclair, Jomel Warrican

CWI Select XI Squad
Kraigg Brathwaite (capt), Justin Greaves (vice-capt), Ryan Bandoo, Daniel Beckford, Navian Bidaisee, Joshua Dorne, Nathan Edward, Chaim Holder, Tevin Imlach, Jordan Johnson, Jair McAllister, Shaaron Lewis, Kimani Melius

The West Indies will be hoping for a strong performance in the Test series as they look to bounce back after a challenging home series against South Africa.