[www.inewsguyana.com] – Jason Holder has replaced Dwayne Bravo as West Indies’ ODI Captain and will lead the team in the five-match ODI series against South Africa, which starts from January 16, 2015.
Bravo, who had replaced Darren Sammy as the ODI captain in May 2013, has also been left out of the squad for the South Africa one-dayers but is a part of the T20 side. Bravo led West Indies to victory in 12 of the 27 games since May last year.
Apart from Dwayne Bravo’s exclusion, the West Indies ODI squad has a number of changes compared to the side that toured India. Darren Sammy and Kieron Pollard have been left out for the ODIs but are in the T20 squad. Offspinner Sunil Narine, who was withdrawn from the India series after being banned during the Champions League T20 due to a suspect action, does not feature in either squad.
According to a WICB release, the recommendation to replace Bravo with Holder had been made by the Clive Lloyd-led selection panel and was approved by the board of directors. Lloyd said Holder’s appointment had been made with an eye on the future. Holder made his ODI debut against Australia in February 2013 and has played 21 games taking 29 wickets at an average of 28.65.
“Jason is one of the good, young players who we believe will form part of the long-term future of West Indies Cricket,” Lloyd said. “We expect him to be around for a very long time. He is a young man with a very bright future. We have invested in him. He was part of High Performance Centre and he also played for the West Indies Under-19 Team and the West Indies A Team.
“He has played ODIs for the West Indies before and has done well. We know he will continue to grow and demonstrate leadership. He has a very good cricketing brain and has the makings of a very good leader.
“The selectors decided that now is the time to make the transition and Jason will have people around him to help and guide him. Some might say it’s close to the time of next year’s ICC Cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand but we know that we have a good One-Day team which can do very well.”
Jonathan Carter received a maiden overseas tour call-up for the ODIS, while batsman Narsingh Deonarine was picked following good performances recently, including two successive first-class hundreds for Guyana in the Professional Cricket League.
The ODI side has only one specialist spinner in Sulieman Benn, with Jerome Taylor, Sheldon Cottrell and Holder leading the pace attack. Kemar Roach had earlier been identified for selection but following his injury in the Centurion Test, the West Indies selectors have decided to name a replacement for him at a later date.
Offspinner Ashley Nurse, who last played an international game in June 2011, was selected for the T20s . Krishmar Santokie and legspinner Samuel Badree were ruled out due to injuries while Chris Gayle’s availability for the limited-overs games is subject to a fitness test. The three-match T20 series starts on January 9. (Cricinfo)
