THERE are early indications that there will be at least one major change to the West Indies squad named to play India in a four Test-match series in the Caribbean starting later this month.
The first Test is set for Antigua from July 21 to 25.West Indies wicketkeeper-batsman Denesh Ramdin was indicating on social media yesterday that he is being dropped for the upcoming series.
He did not make mention of who would be replacing him.
According to the 31-year-old Trinidadian, who has played 74 Tests for the West Indies, the recently appointed Chairman of Selectors Courtney Browne, himself a former West Indies wicketkeeper, has indicated that Ramdin will not be selected as his Test average of 25.87 is simply not good enough.
“What a rainy day, lil heads up for shotta80 fans wouldn’t be playing in Test series vs India. New chairman says my average isn’t good,” Ramdin posted on his Twitter account.
He immediately went on the offensive attacking the chairman of selectors about his career playing for the West Indies.
“Life goes on man. God is great. What I haven’t done in my Test career is drop any batsman to score a double hundred vs WI.”
Ramdin was making reference to Courtney Browne’s disastrous dropped catch off Steve Waugh two decades ago, enabling the Australian captain to go on and score a double-hundred and lead his team to a series win that effectively ended the Caribbean side’s reign as the unofficial world champions of Test cricket.
He wasn’t done. The player who has scored five Test centuries and 15 50s also hit out at Browne’s career Test average. “Man, who’s telling my average is bad with 25.87 but his is 16, telling me about batting and has never scored an international hundred, shameless.”
In his own defence Ramdin posted: “Last two innings over 60 vs Australia down under but not good enough to play anymore.”
Ramdin made his Test debut for the West Indies against Sri Lanka in Colombo in July 2005. His last Test was against Australia in January 2016. In that match he scored 62 as the West Indies made 330 all out in a match that ended as a draw.
The official West Indies squad is expected to be named within the coming days. (Sportsmax.com)