ANTIGUA: West Indies have withdrawn fast bowler Alzarri Joseph and rested white-ball captain Shai Hope for their two-Test tour of Bangladesh later this month. The touring party also includes a maiden Test call-up for 23-year-old batter Kevin Wickham and a return for opener John Campbell.
Cricket West Indies confirmed the withdrawal after a routine medical assessment and consultation with specialists. The decision was taken with the fast bowler’s agreement to manage his workload and reduce the risk of injury in red-ball cricket.
“Joseph will continue working with the CWI medical team and specialists in preparation for a full return to the longer format,” the board said in a statement.
The board stressed that Joseph has not been ruled out of shorter formats. Its medical team believes two consecutive Tests in Bangladesh would place far greater demands on him than white-ball cricket. Seam-bowling all-rounder Keemo Paul replaces him.
Hope has been rested after an extended run of appearances across all three formats, as part of the board’s workload management plan ahead of the ODI World Cup qualifiers in February 2027.
Second straight Test series without Joseph
This will be the second consecutive Test series Joseph has missed. He was unavailable for the home Tests against Pakistan for personal reasons, after which head coach Daren Sammy said he had “declined selection”. Joseph later called those comments “controversial” and “without context”.
Campbell returns after the hamstring injury that kept him out of the Pakistan Tests. Kirk McKenzie replaced him for that series but did not play either Test.
Wickham’s selection rewards a strong run in the West Indies Championship. The Barbados batter struck three centuries in as many innings (105, 153, 108 not out), finished with 393 runs at 78.60, and averages 40.88 across 25 first-class matches.
What the changes mean for the series
West Indies will tour without two senior names, but the squad shows a clear plan for Bangladeshi conditions. Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales and Shamar Joseph form the pace attack, with Paul and Justin Greaves as seam-bowling all-round options. Jomel Warrican and Joshua Bishop are the specialist spinners, while Kavem Hodge and captain Roston Chase provide further spin support.
That balance matters. Pitches in Bangladesh have traditionally rewarded spin and patience rather than raw pace, and the presence of two specialist spinners signals that the visitors expect long spells on turning surfaces.
The series is West Indies’ final assignment in the 2025-27 World Test Championship cycle. They sit eighth, with a squad target of a top-half finish.
“Winning this series would move us closer to it. Playing Bangladesh in their own conditions will be challenging, and we’re ready for that,” Sammy said.
Bangladesh will draw confidence from their own recent Test form, including a historic Test win over Australia and a strong opening day in the Abu Dhabi Test against Afghanistan.
The Bangladesh Tests cap a busy period for West Indies. Squad members not involved in the ongoing T20I series in India have begun preparations at the Super Kings Academy in Chennai under assistant coach Floyd Reifer, with Amir Jangoo joining after the first T20I in Lucknow. The squad arrives in Bangladesh on 18 October for a three-day warm-up in Dhaka from 22 to 24 October. The first Test begins in Dhaka on 28 October and the second starts in Sylhet on 5 November.
The 15-man squad: Roston Chase (captain), Jomel Warrican (vice-captain), Joshua Bishop, John Campbell, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Joshua Da Silva, Justin Greaves, Kavem Hodge, Amir Jangoo, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Keemo Paul, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales and Kevin Wickham.
Frequently asked questions
Why was Alzarri Joseph withdrawn from the Bangladesh Tests?
Cricket West Indies withdrew him after a routine medical assessment, with Joseph’s agreement, to manage his workload and reduce injury risk in red-ball cricket. He remains available for the shorter formats.
Why has Shai Hope been rested?
Hope has been rested after an extended run across all three formats, as part of the board’s workload management ahead of the ODI World Cup qualifiers in February 2027.
Who is Kevin Wickham?
Wickham is a 23-year-old Barbados batter who earned his maiden Test call-up with three centuries in as many innings (105, 153, 108 not out). He has six first-class centuries in 25 matches.
When and where are the Bangladesh-West Indies Tests?
The squad arrives in Bangladesh on 18 October. A warm-up match runs from 22 to 24 October in Dhaka, the first Test starts on 28 October in Dhaka, and the second on 5 November in Sylhet.
What does the series mean for the World Test Championship?
The series is West Indies’ final assignment in the 2025-27 WTC cycle. They sit eighth in the standings and are targeting a top-half finish.
