Kieron Pollard and Sunil Narine made a comeback as West Indies announced a 14-member squad on Tuesday for the first two Twenty20 Internationals against India.
The hosts, who will be led by Carlos Brathwaite, have also included Andre Russell alongside opener John Campbell and left-arm spinner Khary Pierre. However, all-rounder Russell is set to undergo a fitness test before taking part in both the matches.
“We felt that players like Narine and Pollard, who have played well in T20 leagues around the World, once they are fit and mentally ready to play, we must give them the opportunity to represent the West Indies again,” Robert Haynes, interim chairman of the Cricket West Indies Selection Panel said in a statement.
“It’s not just about the present - the India Tour of the West Indies - but we are also looking at the T20 World Cup coming up next year and it is important that we find the right combination of players and the right formula for defending our title.
“We have to make sure that we put certain things in place now, so that when it comes to picking the squad for the T20 World Cup, it becomes easier, so we are giving more players the opportunity to play and get the exposure,” he added.
Squad: John Campbell, Evin Lewis, Shimron Hetmyer, Nicolas Pooran, Kieron Pollard, Rovman Powell, Carlos Brathwaite (c), Keemo Paul, Sunil Narine, Sheldon Cottrell, Oshane Thomas, Anthony Bramble, Andre Russell, Khary Pierre.
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