West Indies rest key players for the T20I series against South Africa, focusing on workload management and future tournaments.
New Delhi: The West Indies cricket team is about to face South Africa in a three-match T20I series, but they will do so with an almost entirely different lineup. With the idea of workload management to ensure prime performance, key players like Andre Russell, Jason Holder, and Alzarri Joseph have been rested for this series.
Immediately after the T20 World Cup 2024, West Indies will turn their attention to the 2026 T20 World Cup and look upon this series against South Africa as an opportunity to take a second look and fine-tune their strategy against a good Proteas lineup.
Miles Bascombe, CWI director of cricket, confirmed that star allrounder Andre Russell “has taken the decision to take some time off for rest and recovery.” The CWI science and medicine team will work closely with both Russell and Jason Holder during the break to ensure the duo return to full fitness.
Alzarri Joseph, who served as the vice-captain during the T20 World Cup, will extend his break to concentrate on skill development and recovery. West Indies’ red-ball coach, Andre Coley, highlighted the significance of managing player workload, especially for fast bowlers like Joseph, to ensure their longevity and effectiveness in future competitions.
“As far as Alzarri is concerned, it always helps to have a period away from the game to work on your skills, because you could get drawn into moving from one tournament to the next and might lose some of your skills,” he told ESPNcricinfo.
The squad includes some notable inclusions and omissions. Brandon King, who is undergoing rehabilitation for a side strain, misses the series and opens up an opportunity at the top of the order for either Shai Hope or newcomer Alick Athanaze.
Meanwhile, Shimron Hetmyer, who did not feature in the 2024 T20 World Cup, still gets a place in the team. West Indies white-ball coach Daren Sammy has taken a big leap of faith in this team.
“Facing a strong South African side is an excellent opportunity for our team to reset and refocus on our game plan. We have played them recently and had mixed results, so this should be an exciting and important series. I’m confident in the squad we’ve selected, and with eyes already on the next T20 World Cup in 2026, I know the guys will be keen to show their hunger for success,” he said in a CWI statement.
The squad welcomes fresh talent with allrounder Matthew Forde, chosen with future tournaments in mind. Fabian Allen makes a comeback, bolstering the spin department alongside Akeal Hosein, Gudakesh Motie, and Roston Chase.
West Indies squad: Rovman Powell (capt), Roston Chase (vice-capt), Alick Athanaze, Fabian Allen, Johnson Charles, Matthew Forde, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Shamar Joseph, Obed McCoy, Gudakesh Motie, Nicholas Pooran, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd