West Indies fast bowler Alzarri Joseph declined selection for their upcoming two-Test series at home against Pakistan, head coach Daren Sammy has said. Cricket West Indies had earlier said that Joseph was unavailable due to personal reasons but Sammy said that the decision to not have him in the team is “way over my head”. Both Tests will be played in Trinidad and Tobago. The first Test starts Saturday at the Brian Lara Cricket Stadium in Tarouba while the second will be hosted in Port of Spain from August 2.
“Yeah, it is a big loss. Mr Joseph has declined selection. That’s the reality of the situation,” Sammy said at a press interaction ahead of the series opener. “He was selected. I mean, he’s now coming back from injury. And for reasons since, he has declined the selection. That is a decision that is way over my head. I leave that with the directors to come up with whatever solutions where contracted players get to decline selection,” said the coach.
One of the few all-format stars in the currrent crop of West Indies players, Joseph has picked 130 wickets in 42 Tests. He had played both Tests against Sri Lanka over the course of June and July, picking six wickets in two matches. He then played in the recently-concluded five-match ODI series against New Zealand, which the latter won 3-2. Joseph had starred with figures of 2/38 in West Indies’ win in the first ODI of the series.
West Indies’ pace attack for the Pakistan series will be made of Shamar Joseph, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales and allrounders Justin Greaves and Keemo Paul. Spin options include Jomel Warrican, rookie Joshua Bishop and captain Roston Chase. Sammy remains confident in his team’s chances despite Joseph’s absence.
“What I could tell you (is that) we have a bowling line-up that we’ve seen that could take 20 wickets. That’s the first start to winning Test matches,” Sammy said when asked if West Indies had the firepower to take on Pakistan. We saw it in New Zealand. We saw it in the Australia series. We matched Australia with the ball. We matched New Zealand with the ball as well. And the confidence and the work that the batters have put in, you could see it bearing fruit in the Test series against Sri Lanka.
“You know, much more consistency is coming through. So once we match these two batsmen scoring runs, we know we have the bowling line-up to take 20 wickets and help us win Test matches,” Sammy said.
