West Indies head coach Darren Sammy has revealed that fast bowler Alzarri Joseph turned down selection for the upcoming two-Test home series against Pakistan, which begins in Tarouba on Saturday. While announcing the squad, Cricket West Indies had said that Joseph was unavailable due to personal reasons. However, Sammy offered further clarity during a press interaction ahead of the opening Test. "Yeah, it is a big loss. Joseph has declined selection. That's the reality of the situation," Sammy said.
"He was selected. I mean, he's now coming back from injury. And for reasons since, he has declined the selection. That is a decision that is way over my head. I leave that with the directors to come up with whatever solutions where contracted players get to decline selection," said the coach. Joseph has represented the West Indies in 42 Tests, picking 130 wickets. The pace bowler has been a regular across all three formats for the Caribbean side.
Despite missing one of his frontline quicks, Sammy expressed confidence in the team's bowling attack heading into the Pakistan series. The West Indies pace unit includes Shamar Joseph, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales, and all-rounders Justin Greaves and Keemo Paul. The spin department will be led by Jomel Warrican, rookie Joshua Bishop, and captain Roston Chase.
"What I could tell you (is that) we have a bowling line-up that we've seen that could take 20 wickets. That's the first start to winning Test matches," Sammy said when asked whether the West Indies had the bowling strength to challenge Pakistan. “We saw it in New Zealand. We saw it in the Australia series. We matched Australia with the ball. We matched New Zealand with the ball as well. And the confidence and the work that the batters have put in, you could see it bearing fruit in the Test series against Sri Lanka.”
"You know, much more consistency is coming through. So once we match these two batsmen scoring runs, we know we have the bowling line-up to take 20 wickets and help us win Test matches," Sammy said. The opening Test gets underway in Tarouba on Saturday, while the second and final Test will be played in Port of Spain from August 2.
Trending Stories
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why US fighter jets use seamless bubble canopies compared to Russian jets
)
Accidental overdose: UK inquest rules out foul play in Saudi Prince’s London death
)
Sonam Wangchuk's connection with George Soros and Ford Foundation explained!
)
India invites Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman to BRICS Summit
)
Scientists decode rare metal that allows China's radar satellite to spy over Asia Pacific
)
Will India switch to plastic currency? Why RBI wants to replace paper currency, and what it means for your wallet | WION Decodes
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the S-400 fires its missiles straight up into the air
)
Iran flew IRGC men, advisers and military gear to Yemen, bolstered Houthis for Red Sea blockade: Sources
)
Russia-Ukraine war escalates| Zelensky pushes patriot missile production as Black sea crisis deepens
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
New Friday OTT releases (July 24, 2026): Musafir Cafe, Adarsh Baal Vidyalaya, Pallichattambi- Watch these 6 titles on Netflix, Prime Video and more
)
'Oh my god!' Orca deliberately rams into sunfish so hard that it exploded. For food or fun?
)
'Most important foundation': Dharmendra Pradhan's long note on 'school education' amid calls for his resignation
)
NEET Protests riddled with misinformation? Delhi Police block 480 Pakistan-based handles spreading 'fake news' since Operation Sindoor
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the specialized paint on an S-400 costs thousands of dollars per truck
)
Jana Nayagan box office collection: Here's how much CM Vijay's political drama mints on day 1
)
Delhi Police chief gets NSA detention powers but force denies link to CJP protests
)
ICC ODI Rankings: Joe Root jumps big, India trio close in on No. 1 spot
)
US-Iran War: Iran destroys US Patriot Air-Defence System
)
‘Stole the show’: Young man’s uncanny imitation of Trump leaves internet stunned | WATCH
)
The Royals enter the Doctor Who universe: King Charles and Queen Camilla beam into Commonwealth Games in TARDIS
)
Ranbir Kapoor-Yash's Ramayana trailer postponed, producer cites Sony Pictures deal as reason
'Sonam, it’s done, bro. Don’t extend this': Salman Khan now urges protesting students to go home, offers Wangchuk home cooked food to end fast
)
'George Soros playbook': Understanding the foreign funding network around Sonam Wangchuk
)
FIFA 2026 | 'I am truly sorry': Argentina's Enzo Fernandez, who get red card in final, reacts to loss
)
Ukrainian drone wrecks irreplaceable Russian bomber 800km inside the country, satellite images show it halved
)
'I am not a racist, my partner (Shivon Zillis) is half-Indian': Angry Musk says in latest interview
)
Man with babyish face spends Rs 10 lakh on beard transplant to be taken seriously at work
)
He predicted COVID-19 and 2008 economic crisis, was labeled fearmonger. Now he has another dire warning
)
Commonwealth Games 2026: India's medal hopes suffer after doping woes
)
