Australia, Windies confirm their XIs for first Test

Both Australia and West Indies have confirmed their teams for the NRMA Insurance Test series opener in Adelaide.

Captain Pat Cummins has confirmed Cameron Green will return to a side that has been rejigged after David Warner's retirement and which sees Steve Smith begin a new chapter of his career as a Test opener.

The Windies meanwhile have announced they will blood three debutants, with skipper Kraigg Brathwaite revealing middle-order pair Kavem Hodge and Justin Greaves, along with raw paceman Shamar Joseph, will all play their first Tests.

Australia XI: Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins (c), Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood

 

West Indies XI: Kraigg Brathwaite (c), Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Kirk McKenzie, Alick Athanaze, Kavem Hodge, Justin Greaves, Joshua Da Silva (wk), Gudakesh Motie, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Kemar Roach

For the Aussies, Smith's wish to open the batting as the replacement for David Warner, who retired following the Sydney Test against Pakistan earlier this month, has been fulfilled as Cummins confirmed the XI named more than a week out from Wednesday's match would remain.

The neat solution to filling the hole left by Warner came about after Smith lobbied selectors to go up the order, leaving the No.4 spot for Green where he has thrived in the Marsh Sheffield Shield for Western Australia.

“Seeing someone who has basically achieved everything in the game get really excited for a new challenge, you've got to entertain that," Cummins said of Smith's promotion.

"You can see his mind already whirring about he's maybe going to go about it differently, it’s just re-energised him.

"So he'll give it a good crack and see how it goes."

Green has admitted he felt "a touch rushed" at No.6, the position he filled for the bulk of his first 24 Tests before Mitch Marsh supplanted him as the team's allrounder during last year's Ashes.

The presence of both Green and Marsh leaves Cummins with a surplus of bowling options.

The Windies, back after being beaten 2-0 in Australia last summer, are without key allrounders Jason Holder and Kyle Mayers for this tour, with the pair instead playing in T20 leagues, while fast bowler Jayden Seales is out with a shoulder concern.

There is optimism over the prospects of 24-year-old Shamar Joseph (no relation to team vice-captain Alzarri Joseph) who impressed in last week's tour match at Karen Rolton Oval after coming to selectors' attention having grown up in an isolated village in central Guyana.

Hodge and Greaves are both 29 and have served lengthy apprenticeships at first-class level.

Caribbean legend Brian Lara has been acting as a mentor in the nets, while ex-Australia tearaway Shaun Tait is their bowling coach.

West Indies have not beaten Australia in a Test in almost 21 years, while their last victory down under came in Perth in 1997, but Brathwaite insists his team will not be pushovers.

"Expecting a lot of fight from the guys," said the opener who was his side's leading run scorer during their tour to Australia last summer.

"Obviously guys are relatively new to Test cricket and they've got to show their worth to their world. It's understandable being the underdogs.

"But my (message) to the guys is 'show the world, make the region proud, make West Indians proud'.

"Playing in Australia is amazing, it's one of the best places to play cricket in the world. This is what the guys aspire to growing up."

NRMA Insurance Test series v West Indies

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

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

Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc

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

Men's Dettol ODI Series v West Indies

Australia ODI squad: Steve Smith (c), Travis Head (vc), Sean Abbott, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Lance Morris, Jhye Richardson, Matt Short, Adam Zampa

West Indies ODI squad: Shai Hope (c), Alzarri Joseph, Alick Athanaze, Teddy Bishop, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Justin Greaves, Kavem Hodge, Tevin Imlach, Gudakesh Motie, Kjorn Ottley, Romario Shepherd, Oshane Thomas, Hayden Walsh Jr.

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

West Indies T20I squad: Rovman Powell (c), Shai Hope, Johnson Charles, Roston Chase, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Gudakesh Motie, Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Oshane Thomas

February 9: Blundstone Arena, Hobart 7.00pm AEDT

February 11: Adelaide Oval, 7pm AEDT

February 13: Perth Stadium, 7pm AEDT