This is going to be bad. Really bad. This probably wasn't a player-by-player choice either, it was probably the entire group of them who agreed to withdraw all at once.
While I won't particularly blame them for withdrawing "due to concerns about Covid" it's pretty interesting that Holder and Pooran will be playing in the BBL at least almost up until the first Test.
Don't bring up 2009 again, ever. About the only good thing that came out of that tour was Kemar Roach.
As to the squad...
Test Squad
Kraigg Brathwaite
-
Needs form, but since both Holder and Chase are out, we'll have to see how he handles the captaincy. I've never really seen him in charge, so it will be interesting to see the tactical side of things from him. I suppose he'll have to find form on this tour.
Jermaine Blackwood -
Well, he has to play, doesn't he? Our best batsman in NZ, and one of the better ones in England, he showed that he has what it takes to be patient and build a score rather than his usual smash and grab. He'll need that on what will likely be slow, low wickets.
Nkrumah Bonner -
Dunno. I wanted him to debut in NZ because then he'd have had the senior guys around to build off of. Dunno if I would debut him here, but we might just have to.
John Campbell -
Woefully short of form. A much better ODI player. This is his series to prove to the selectors that he belongs in Tests.
Shayne Moseley -
He had a decent First Class season, but in the last A game in NZ he really stepped up. I won't mind seeing him get a game.
Josh Da Silva -
He's going to be spending some time standing up to the spinners, he has to get rid of any nerves he had in his debut match and get on with his primary job. He's a good batsman, but if you leak runs in the field by dropping catches or missing stumpings, any runs he makes won't matter.
Kavem Hodge -
I know what was said in the article, but he's really there to make up the numbers. He's barely even a hit-or-miss player. He'll be ferrying drinks, gloves, et al.
Kyle Mayers -
He's there or thereabouts, his value is more on form. He's an okay-ish bowler and a decent-ish batsman. Maybe slightly edging toward batsman more than bowler. Had a good last First Class tournament, so he may get picked.
Shannon Gabriel -
Has to play.
Alzarri Joseph -
See above.
Raymon Reifer -
Actually has a Test cap. Do we need a fourth seamer in Bangladesh? Or do we need more or a batsman? I see him as a replacement if one of the three first-line seamers gets injured or needs to be rested (Gabriel, I'm looking at you).
Kemar Roach -
See Joseph, Gabriel. He's our best bowler.
Rahkeem Cornwall -
He'll likely play. We need more than one spinner in the team, and he's shown how effective he can be on subcontinent pitches.
Veerasammy Permaul -
Well, where did this blast from the past show up? He does have Test experience though, and he debuted against Bangladesh and didn't do THAT terribly against them.
Jomel Warrican -
He's not bad, but I'd call him more steady than penetrative with his bowling. Then again, he does have two 4-wicket hauls in Tests.
In my opinion, they picked way too many bowlers and not enough batsmen. Pretty much all the batsmen have to play, including debutants, while there are a few bowlers missing out.
Possible Test squad
Kraigg Brathwaite (c)
John Campbell
Nkrumah Bonner
Jermaine Blackwood
Shayne Moseley/Kyle Mayers
Joshua Da Silva (wk)
Rahkeem Cornwall
Alzarri Joseph
Jomel Warrican/Veerasammy Permaul
Kemar Roach
Shannon Gabriel
That batting...ugh. The less said about it the better. I want to see Blackwood move up the order, and putting him between the two debutants is probably best, although the middle order pretty much will have next to no international experience save for Blackwood. Being Bangladesh, you need two spinners. You just do. You can't pretend that you're playing one and throw the ball to a random part-timer to make up the rest of overs.
Although, being the West Indies, that's exactly what they'll do. They'll pick Cornwall alone and claim that Bonner and Brathwaite can pick up the slack, that way they can play an extra batsman. I'll be watching as it backfires spectacularly.
ODI Squad
Jason Mohammed
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This choice I like. He has the experience at international level without actually ever getting a run in the team. He's been good for Trinidad and Tobago over the years. Doesn't really ever steal the show, but he's consistent and I'll take that.
Sunil Ambris -
He's not been on the radar for a few months but he's a good ODI player for sure.
Nkrumah Bonner -
I'd much rather see Bonner in an ODI than a Test.
Andre McCarthy -
He's been around for quite some time and his name always gets a mention, but never made it anywhere. I'd like to see him get a match or two.
Rovman Powell -
He hasn't lived up the massive potential he once had, but he has to play, I suppose.
Josh Da Silva -
Beats Hamilton for the gloves anyday.
Jahmar Hamilton -
I dunno how it will work, since technically it's all one touring party and all. I would have expected him to stay on and cover for the Tests in case Da Silva got injured, but what do I know?
Kyle Mayers -
I was sketchy about him in the Tests but I'm interested in seeing him in the ODI squad.
Kjorn Ottley -
Making up numbers.
Chemar Holder -
Should play at least a couple games.
Alzarri Joseph -
See above
Raymon Reifer -
Same
Romario Shepherd -
I don't like this guy. I am not denying that he has decent stats, but something about him just seems...bleh...to me. He might get a game.
Akeal Hosein -
I'm going to be looking forward to seeing him. He's really good in limited overs.
Hayden Walsh -
Ditto.
The ODIs are different. I expect them to rotate and play pretty much everyone over the three games, so I won't give a team. But I'll say that I have more confidence in the ODI team than I do in the Test team. We can actually be competitive with that roster. As to why Mohammed is the captain, the experience. Mohammed has been playing cricket for far longer and he gets the captaincy simply based on that. I don't mind the choice. Powell has done nothing of note for years and has repeatedly been given the chance to.