Seales in line for India series return after injury
ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) — Fit-again fast bowler Jayden Seales has been named in an 18-man training squad to prepare for the India series which bowls off next month.
The 21-year-old was sidelined since last December with a knee injury which required surgery, but subsequently underwent rehabilitation and has made a full recovery.
Trinidadian Seales, who made his Test debut as a teenager two years ago, has taken 37 wickets from 10 matches at 24 runs apiece.
Selectors have also named free-scoring left-hander Kirk McKenzie in the training squad, the 22-year-old having plundered a first-class double hundred back in April and a couple of half-centuries on West Indies A’s tour of Bangladesh last month.
Another left-hander, Alick Athanaze, who also toured Bangladesh and was a member of the West Indies senior squad on the South Africa Test tour earlier this year, is also a part of the squad.
Fast bowler Jair McAllister and all-rounder Kavem Hodge are the two other uncapped players called up for the camp at the Coolidge Cricket Ground starting Friday.
Struggling right-hander Nkrumah Bonner, who was dropped for the South Africa tour and is yet to regain form, has been included along with off-spinning all-rounder Rahkeem Cornwall who played his last Test nearly two years ago.
West Indies face India in the opening Test at Windsor Park in Dominica starting July 12 before travelling to Trinidad for the second Test at Queen’s Park Oval eight days later.
SQUAD — Kraigg Brathwaite (captain), Alick Athanaze, Jermaine Blackwood, Nkrumah Bonner, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Rahkeem Cornwall, Joshua Da Silva, Shannon Gabriel, Kavem Hodge, Akeem Jordan, Jair McAllister, Kirk McKenzie, Marquino Mindley, Anderson Phillip, Raymon Reifer, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales, Jomel Warrican.