West Indies announce XI for Lord's Test; Mikyle Louis to debut

West Indies have announced their squad for the first Test against England at Lord’s starting Wednesday (July 10). The 23-year-old Mikyle Louis will make his international debut in the series opener. 

Jason Holder returns to the XI. The all-rounder missed the Test series in Australia earlier this year to fulfill other commitments. A seam bowler by his primary skill, Holder is slotted in at number six for this Test to ensure breathing space for the wicketkeeper-batter Joshua Da Silva. 

West Indies have gone bowling heavy in their team combination, playing four frontline seamers in Holder, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph and Jayden Seales. They have also picked a specialist spinner in Gudakesh Motie, thus compromising on their batting little with Alzarri Joseph at number eight. 

West Indies also have a bagful of part-time spinners to assist Motie. Kavem Hodge, a left-arm finger spinner, and Alick Athanaze, an off-break bowler, have bowled a fair bit in first-class cricket. 

Louis can also deliver part-time leg-spin but has bowled very little in domestic cricket. Slotted to open alongside the skipper Kraigg Brathwaite, the right-hander has played only seven first-class matches and four List-A fixtures. Taking the field at Lord’s, Louis will become the first Test cricket from St. Kitts and Nevis. 

Seales, the additional seamer, last played Test cricket for West Indies in 2022. However, he has shown form in the ongoing County Championship Division Two. Playing for Sussex, Seales has 24 wickets in 11 innings at 24.3 runs apiece, including two five-fors and two four-wicket hauls. However, in the warm-up game against County Select XI, Seales went wicketless in 10 overs. 

The other two Tests in the series will be played in Nottingham (July 18 onwards) and Birmingham (July 26). England have also announced their Playing XI for this clash, picking Jamie Smith and Gus Atkinson as debutants.

West Indies squad for the Lord’s Test: 

Kraigg Brathwaite ( c ), Mikyle Louis, Kirk McKenzie, Alick Athanaze, Kavem Hodge, Joshua Da Silva (wk), Jason Holder, Alzarri Joseph, Gudakesh Motie, Shamar Joseph, Jayden Seales

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