The Cricket West Indies (CWI) selection panel on Tuesday named the West Indies men’s 13-member squad for the first Test against South Africa, beginning Thursday. The Test squad includes one newcomer in Jayden Seales, the exciting 19-year-old fast bowler from Trinidad and Tobago, and a former member of the West Indies Under-19 World Cup squad in 2020, who has been very impressive since he emerged on the scene. The panel also recalled Shai Hope, the top-order batsman, and Kieran Powell, the experienced left-handed opener. Hope last played Test cricket in England in July last year, while Powell’s last Test appearance was in Bangladesh in December, 2018.
“Jayden Seales is young, very enthusiastic, and has a big heart. In the ‘Best v Best’ matches, he bowled with pace, got movement, and has displayed the ability to take wickets,” Roger Harper, the Lead Selector said in an official release.
“We think he is capable of adding potency to the bowling attack,” Harper added.
“Kieran Powell we know is a very capable batsman who we expect to add quality and depth to the batting department. He put himself in the mix with his performance in the Best v Best match,” he said.
“Shai Hope has performed very well in the red ball matches he has played, following on the back of his highly successful ODI series against Sri Lanka, so he has forced his way into the squad by performance,” he added.
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West Indies and South Africa will face each other in a two-match Test series and the first match gets underway this Thursday.
West Indies squad for 1st Test: Kraigg Brathwaite (c), Jermaine Blackwood, Nkrumah Bonner, Roston Chase, Rahkeem Cornwall, Joshua Da Silva, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Kieran Powell, Kemar Roach, and Jayden Seales.
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