West Indies Test captain Jason Holder, limited-overs captain Kieron Pollard, and Test vice-captain Roston Chase are among ten players who have pulled out of the upcoming tour of Bangladesh amid Covid-19 concerns. Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, Sheldon Cottrell, Evin Lewis, Shai Hope, Shimron Hetmyer and Nicholas Pooran are the other players who “declined the opportunity to tour due to Covid-19 related concerns or personal fears,” according to a CWI release.

Allrounder Fabian Allen and wicketkeeper-batsman Shane Dowrich were unavailable because of personal reasons.

In the absence of Holder, opening batsman Kraigg Brathwaite will lead the Test side; he had also captained the Test team when they last toured Bangladesh in 2018. The ODI squad will be led by Jason Mohammed, who last played for West Indies in 2018.

According to the CWI Covid-19 policy, any player can opt out of an overseas tour over fears of safety, and the decision will not impact their future selections. Bravo and Hetmyer had also turned down call-ups for the England tour earlier this year because of concerns about their families.

Hodge, Moseley, Mayers get maiden Test call-ups
In the absence of a number of first-choice players, the uncapped pair of Kavem Hodge and Shayne Moseley were included in the Test squad. Moseley, 26, has been on the fringes of Test selection, having toured the UK and then New Zealand as a reserve batsman. In his most recent match for West Indies A in Nelson earlier this month, Moseley scored 110 and 54 against a New Zealand A attack that contained internationals like Doug Bracewell, Jimmy Neesham and Scott Kuggeleijn.

Moseley’s Barbados team-mate Kyle Mayers, who made his T20I debut in New Zealand, also earned his maiden Test call-up. Mayers was the second-highest run-getter in the 2019-20 West Indies first-class competition, scoring 654 runs in 15 innings at an average of 50.30.

Hodge is the third left-arm fingerspin-bowling option in the squad behind Jomel Warrican and Veerasammy Permaul. Rahkeem Cornwall will provide another option with his offbreaks.

“He has been around for a few years and has made a case for himself and he now gets his chance,” chief selector Roger Harper said of Hodge. “The fact that he also bowls left-arm spin has certainly helped his cause. We also have Kyle Mayers and Shayne Moseley, who have both toured with the team to England and New Zealand as reserves, being selected in the Test squad for the first time.”

Senior fast bowler Kemar Roach, who missed the Wellington Test and returned home following the death of his father, was back to lead the red-ball attack along with Shannon Gabriel, who recently featured in his 50th Test.

The other Holder – Chemar – was missing from the Test squad after having impressed for West Indies A as well as the senior Test team in New Zealand. Chemar, though, was named in the ODI squad.

Nkrumah Bonner, Joshua da Silva, Alzarri Joseph and Mayers were the players who were picked in both the Test and ODI squads.

Ottley, Hosein picked in ODI squad
Batsman Kjorn Ottley and left-arm fingerspinner Akeal Hosein were among the new faces in the ODI squad. Ottley hit 325 runs in nine innings at an average of 54.16 and strike rate of 80.64 for Barbados in the 2019-20 domestic 50-over competition. In all, the 31-year-old has 1175 runs in 45 List A matches at an average of 30.12.

“The absence of several more experienced players has certainly provided an opportunity for the left-handed Kjorn Ottley who has had a good Super50 tournament last year,” Harper said. “He will be very keen to make his mark. Tours of Bangladesh are never easy as they always play well in their own conditions. Although a number of the senior players are missing in both formats, I expect our teams to be very competitive. I expect our players to play with purpose, with passion and with the desire to prove that they belong at this level.”

As for Hosein, he played a vital role for the Trinbago Knight Riders in their unbeaten run to the CPL 2020 title. When Sunil Narine was unavailable (because of kidney stones), Hosein stepped up and bowled the tough overs in the powerplay. He took a career-best 3 for 14 in the semi-final against the Jamaica Tallawahs and followed it with 1 for 26 in the final against the St Lucia Zouks. Hosein will be complemented by legspinner Hayden Walsh Jr.

This series will be West Indies’ first assignment in the ODI Super League, and this will be their third tour since the pandemic hit, after visiting England and New Zealand.

The West Indies touring party is scheduled to arrive in Bangladesh on January 10 and, after completing quarantine protocols, they will kickstart their preparations with a one-day warm-up match in Savar. The three-match ODI series will begin in Dhaka on January 20, with the Test leg starting on February 3.

Test squad: Kraigg Brathwaite (capt), Jermaine Blackwood, Nkrumah Bonner, John Campbell, Rahkeem Cornwall, Joshua Da Silva, Shannon Gabriel, Kavem Hodge, Alzarri Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Shayne Moseley, Veerasammy Permaul, Kemar Roach, Raymon Reifer, Jomel Warrican

ODI squad: Jason Mohammed (capt), Sunil Ambris, Nkrumah Bonner, Joshua Da Silva, Jahmar Hamilton, Chemar Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Andre McCarthy, Kjorn Ottley, Rovman Powell, Raymon Reifer, Romario Shepherd, Hayden Walsh Jr.