West Indies name new-look Test squad for Australia tour

The West Indies will bring seven uncapped players in a 15-man squad for their two-Test series against Australia in January.

The Caribbean side is shorn of experience, with fast bowler Jayden Seales out with a shoulder injury while allrounders Jason Holder and Kyle Mayers have opted out of the tour to prioritise T20 cricket.

Holder, a former West Indies captain, and Mayers, who struck an unbeaten fourth-innings double-hundred on Test debut against Bangladesh in early 2021, both turned down Cricket West Indies central contracts this year.

Holder will play in the UAE's ILT20 competition and Mayers is part of the Durban squad in the SA20 competition while the NRMA Insurance Test series is underway.

West Indies Test squad: Kraigg Brathwaite (c), Alzarri Joseph (vc), Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Kirk McKenzie. Alick Athanaze, Kavem Hodge, Justin Greaves, Joshua DaSilva, Akeem Jordan, Gudakesh Motie, Kemar Roach, Kevin Sinclair, Tevin Imlach, Shamar Joseph, Zachary McCaskie

Holder, who said his priority was to play in next year's T20 World Cup in the US and Caribbean, Mayers, Shai Hope and Nicholas Pooran are among the names expected to feature in the Windies white-ball squads that will play three ODIs and three T20s against Australia following the two-Test series.

"The squad has been affected by the unavailability of some key players. However, we have had a very strong red-ball program being run over the past year, which has unearthed significant talent throughout the region," said West Indies lead selector Desmond Haynes, the legendary opening batter.

"The selected players have passed each test given to them and must now be given the opportunity to showcase their skills in the Test arena.

"Australia away is always a challenge, but we are confident in our team."

The uncapped septet includes batter Zachary McCaskie, wicketkeeper Tevin Imlach, allrounders Justin Greaves, Kavem Hodge and Kevin Sinclair, as well as fast bowlers Akeem Jordan and Shamar Joseph.

The Windies squad boasts a total of 231 Tests of experience, though all but 15 of those come from a group of just four players – captain Kraigg Brathwaite (87), veteran fast bowler Kemar Roach (77), newly-appointed vice-captain Alzarri Joseph (30) and gloveman Joshua DaSilva (22).

The next most experienced player is opening batter Tagenarine Chanderpaul, the 27-year-old Guyanese son of Windies legend Shivnarine Chanderpaul who made his Test debut on the Windies last tour Down Under in 2022 and has played eight Tests.

Holder, who has played 64 Tests including 37 as captain between 2015-20, said he was not "turning my back on Test cricket" but the T20 World Cup was a priority that made the call to skip the Australia Tests "the right cricketing decision for me at this time".

"It was a difficult one but as much as I love Test cricket, I want to give myself the best chance of playing in that World Cup," Holder told ESPN. "I felt it was probably best to prioritise and focus on playing as much T20 cricket leading up to that as possible.

"I will probably sleep a little bit better knowing that I've given myself the best opportunity to do that."

CWI requires players vying for World Cup selection to be available for the ongoing white-ball series against England as well as February's T20Is against the Aussies, creating a squeeze for the 32-year-old Holder and 31-year-old Mayers, who are looking to maximise earnings.

"I've been an all-format player for probably the last eight or nine years," said Holder. "If you look at the current scope of the sport in general, it's now a more common trend based on the dynamics of world cricket: everything is constantly evolving. There are leagues popping up here, there and everywhere and there are quite a number of options for players.

"It all depends on what a player wants in terms of his career. It's a profession, and there's a massive window in terms of franchise cricket early in the year. The main part of my decision is to prioritise playing as much T20 cricket as I can leading up to the T20 World Cup – and of course, in doing so, there is also the opportunity to maximise your earnings."

The Windies squad will arrive on December 30 with a week-long training camp in Adelaide followed by a warm-up match against a CA XI side at Karen Rolton Oval. The battle for the Frank Worrell Trophy, last won by the West Indies 31 years ago in 1992-93, begins on January 17 at the Adelaide Oval.

NRMA Insurance Test series v West Indies

Tour match: January 10-12, Karen Rolton Oval (10.30am AEDT)

First Test: January 17-21, Adelaide Oval (10.30am AEDT)

Second Test: January 25-29, Gabba (3pm AEDT)

West Indies Test squad: Kraigg Brathwaite (c), Alzarri Joseph (vc), Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Kirk McKenzie, Alick Athanaze, Kavem Hodge, Justin Greaves, Joshua DaSilva, Akeem Jordan, Gudakesh Motie, Kemar Roach, Kevin Sinclair, Tevin Imlach, Shamar Joseph, Zachary McCaskie

Men's Dettol ODI Series v West Indies

February 2: MCG, 2.30pm AEDT

February 4: SCG, 2.30pm AEDT

February 6: Manuka Oval, Canberra 2.30pm AEDT

Men's Dettol T20I Series v West Indies

February 9: Blundstone Arena, Hobart 7.00pm AEDT

February 11: Adelaide Oval, 7pm AEDT

February 13: Perth Stadium, 7pm AEDT