[www.inewsguyana.com] – Two West Indies players considered for selection for the first Test against Bangladesh in St Vincent have opted to play in the Champions League T20 in India instead.
The WICB did not reveal who the players were, and said their “decisions will not have any deleterious effect on consideration for future West Indies selection” because the CLT20 had “an ICC approved window on the international schedule.”
The qualifying round of the Champions League begins on September 13, the day the second Test against Bangladesh commences. Apart from players in the Barbados Tridents squad that won the Caribbean Premier League, seven other West Indies players are representing IPL franchises in the Champions League. They are: Sunil Narine, Dwayne Bravo, Lendl Simmons, Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Smith, Andre Russell and Samuel Badree.
Fast bowler Jason Holder, who made his debut in West Indies’ most recent Test – against New Zealand in Barbados in June – was part of the Barbados Tridents squad released by the CLT20, but has been picked for the first Test against Bangladesh.
Narine had not been considered for selection for all three home Tests against New Zealand after opting to play for Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL final on June 1. It caused him to miss the start of a West Indies training camp ahead of the first Test starting on June 8. Narine’s absence paved the way for Shane Shillingford and Sulieman Benn to make their return to Test cricket.
Earlier this summer, Bravo had expressed his desire to return to the Test cricket following recovery from a shoulder injury suffered at the start of this year’s IPL. The West Indies ODI captain has not played Test cricket since 2010.
