Exodus!

Neither Test captain Jason Holder nor white-ball skipper, Kieron Pollard, will take any part next month’s tour of Bangladesh.

Both players, along with eight others across both formats, have declined selection for the January 20 to February 15 series in the south Asian country due to what a Cricket West Indies statement on Tuesday labelled “COVID-19 related concerns or personal fears”.

Barbadian Holder has led the Test side for the last five years and is currently the number two ranked all-rounder in Tests and the highest ranked West Indies bowler at 10th.

Pollard, meanwhile, took over the helm of the white ball sides last September and has led the regional side ever since.

Holder and Pollard have been joined by Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, Roston Chase, Sheldon Cottrell, Evin Lewis, Shai Hope, Shimron Hetmyer and Nicholas Pooran in opting out of the tour.

Additionally, left-arm spinning all-rounder, Fabian Allen, and Test wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich have also made themselves unavailable for the tour because of “personal reasons”.

Dowrich, the first choice gloveman, abruptly left the tour of New Zealand earlier this month ahead of the second Test in Wellington for what CWI at the time also cited as “personal reasons”.

Experienced opener Kraigg Brathwaite, who has played 64 Tests and has in the past served as vice-captain, will assume reins of the Test side for the two matches in Bangladesh.

In a surprising move by selectors, Trinidadian Jason Mohammed who played the last of his 30 One-Day Internationals two-and-a-half years ago, has been recalled to lead the white ball side in Pollard’s absence.

Selectors have named three uncapped players in the 15-man Test squad with Barbadians Kyle Mayers and Shayne Moseley, along with Dominican all-rounder, Kavem Hodge, all included for the first time.

Mayers, who made his Twenty20 International debut on the tour of New Zealand last month, and Moseley were both members of the Test reserves on last July’s tour of England while Hodge is set for his first international tour.

Jamaican Nkrumah Bonner, who has also toured recently as a member of the Test reserves, is the other uncapped player in the Test squad.

Selectors have, meanwhile, named eight players without any one-day experience in the 15-man squad for the three ODIs with Mayers, fellow Barbadian Chemar Holder, Akeal Hosein, Kjorn Ottley, Andre McCarthy, Joshua Da Silva, Jahmar Hamilton and Bonner in the touring party.

“Kavem Hodge will be on his first tour with the team. He has been around for a few years and has made a case for himself and he now gets his chance. The fact that he also bowls left arm spin has certainly helped his cause,” chairman of selectors, Roger Harper, said.

“We also have Kyle Mayers and Shayne Moseley, who have both toured with the team to England and New Zealand as reserves, being selected in the Test squad for the first time.

“Moseley coming off successful ‘A Team’ games in New Zealand and Mayers who has performed well in each of the CWI regional tournaments and also the CPL, over the last year.”

He added: “The absence of several more  experienced players has certainly provided an opportunity for the left-handed Kjorn Ottley who has had a good Super50 tournament last year. He will be very keen to make his mark.

“Tours of Bangladesh are never easy as they always play well in their own conditions. Although a number of the senior players are missing in both formats, I expect our teams to be very competitive.

“I expect our players to play with purpose, with passion and with the desire to prove that they belong at this level.”

The withdrawal of the senior players will come as a massive blow to West Indies on and off the field.

On their last tour of Bangladesh in 2018, the Caribbean side suffered heavy defeats in both Tests inside three days and the weakened squad offer little hope of avoiding a repeat.

Off the field, the move by the players signals a lack of faith in the tour health protocols which were fully endorsed by CWI director Dr Akshai Mansingh, who carried out an on-the-ground assessment on behalf of CWI last month.

Mansingh, a member of CWI’s medical advisory committee, said in a previous interview the protocols implemented by the Bangladesh Cricket Board were consistent with “all international standards recommended for COVID-19”.

SQUADS:

TEST – Kraigg Brathwaite (captain), Jermaine Blackwood (vice-captain), Nkrumah Bonner, John Campbell, Rahkeem Cornwall, Joshua Da Silva, Shannon Gabriel, Kavem Hodge, Alzarri Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Shayne Moseley, Veerasammy Permaul, Kemar Roach, Raymon Reifer, Jomel Warrican

ODI -Jason Mohammed (captain), Sunil Ambris (vice-captain), Nkrumah Bonner, Joshua Da Silva, Jahmar Hamilton, Chemar Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Andre McCarthy, Kjorn Ottley, Rovman Powell, Raymon Reifer, Romario Shepherd, Hayden Walsh jr.