BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Selectmen are expected to announce the squad for the tour of Bangladesh early next week, West Indies Cricket CEO Johnny Grave has confirmed.
He said CWI was in the final stages of negotiations with the Bangladesh Cricket Board and once that was over, he expected top selector Roger Harper to announce the approximate 25-member squad for both Tests and three Internationals One day.
However, unlike the England tour last July and a tour of New Zealand earlier this month, no reserves will be included in the contingent, mainly due to the shortness of the series.
“It’s a shorter trip and we also have the ODI players there should we need to extend anyone’s stay should they seriously injure any of the players through the one-day series or as we prepare for the Test matches, ”said Grave.
With West Indies losing all International T20s and Tests against New Zealand and most players underperforming, there has been widespread speculation about changes for the upcoming tour.
But with little time between the walks, the selectors are expected to keep faith with the core of the white ball and the Test squad.
For the Bangladesh tour, Windies support staff will once again include a psychologist and medical doctor but this time, Paul Slowe will be joining the squad as security, security and compliance manager.
According to Grave, Slowe’s inclusion was a measure aimed at ensuring that all relevant protocols put in place by the BCB were followed.
“We will do everything we can to continue to minimize the risk and keep the players and team management unit together and safe,” the Englishman stressed.
West Indies wrapped up their tour of New Zealand last weekend when they were beaten firmly by a pub and 12 runs in four days, to lose the series 2-0 following a similar pub loss in the Test opening.
The Caribbean side suffered a solid 2-0 defeat in the previous three-match T20 International series.
With West Indies set to arrive in Bangladesh on January 10, it means only a short turnaround time between leagues and Grave said a decision has been made to allow players extra time with their families.
“We are also leaving the region a week later so players can have a longer time with their friends and family and loved ones over the Christmas period to rest and have a break from cricket,” he revealed.
Once players arrive in Bangladesh, they will be quarantined a week before the tour begins on January 18 with a one-day tour game.
The opening two ODIs are scheduled for Dhaka on January 20 and 22, with the final match three days later in Chattogram, the city that will also host the first Test (Feb. 3-7) before ‘ Both teams return to Dhaka for the second Test starting February 11.
CWI said last week that the trip had been agreed “in principle … subject to the medical and logistical details in the tour’s MoU being finalized” but Grave said this process was nearing completion.
“We are in the final negotiations and negotiations with the BCB on the MOU tour which will include all safety, security and medical protocols as well as the standard logistics and operations,” he noted.
“We have already cut the journey down considerably by reducing a Test match, removing the T20 Internationals and getting all those important ODIs that are part of the qualifying process now for next World Cup matches and the Test Championship. ”
The trip will be the third to the West Indies in the midst of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.