[www.inewsguyana.com] – Coming out of an impressive test debut in the home series whitewash of Bangladesh, Guyanese batsman Leon Johnson has been called up to the West Indies One Day International (ODI) for the upcoming tour of India slated to start next month.
Johnson will be joined by a trio of experienced players – batsmen Marlon Samuels and Dwayne Smith, and fast bowler Jerome Taylor – for the one-dayers.
However, Chris Gayle will miss the series as he is still rehabilitating from injury. Others missing out are batsman Kirk Edwards and left-arm spinner Nikita Miller.
Samuels and Smith return after having missed out on the limited-overs legs of the home series against New Zealand and Bangladesh this year. Taylor is back after a more lengthy absence, having last played an ODI in 2010.
A series of injuries had taken years out of his international career before he made a comeback in the home Tests this year.
Johnson has been out of the one-day squad even longer – having briefly made an appearance on the international circuit back in 2008 for a one-day tournament also featuring hosts Canada and Bermuda.
He arrives as reinforcement for the top order after Edwards failed in the Bangladesh ODIs, scoring 10 in two innings.
Miller didn’t get a game during the Bangladesh ODIs but has been left out for India, leaving Sunil Narine as the only specialist spinner in the squad.
The first of five ODIs against India is on October 8 in Kochi.
