12 West Indies players refuse to tour Bangladesh for bilateral series due to COVID-19 fears and other reasons

12 West Indies cricketers, including Test skipper Jason Holder and Kieron Pollard, the ODI and T20I captain, have declined to tour Bangladesh due to COVID-19 fears. The Caribbean team are scheduled to play three ODIs and two Tests in Dhaka and Chattogram.

It will also mark Bangladesh’s return to international cricket after nearly 11 months amidst the coronavirus pandemic. In the meantime, Cricket West Indies (CWI) named the Test and ODI squads without their star players.

West Indies name the low-in-experience squads

“The following players declined the opportunity to tour due to Covid-19 related concerns or personal fears: Jason Holder, Kieron Pollard, Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, Roston Chase, Sheldon Cottrell, Evin Lewis, Shai Hope, Shimron Hetmyer and Nicholas Pooran. Fabian Allen and Shane Dowrich are unavailable due to personal reasons,” a CWI statement was quoted as saying on Tuesday, December 29.

“The CWI Covid-19 policy allows any player to opt out of selection for an overseas tour, only when based on the player’s own safety fears or concerns. Such decisions will not impact their consideration for future selection,” it stated.

Interestingly, Holder and Pooran are currently taking part in the 2020-21 edition of the Big Bash League in Australia. Even as Holder is playing for the Sydney Sixers, Pooran is plying his trade for Glenn Maxwell’s Melbourne Stars.

For the Bangladesh tour, the West Indies players are scheduled to arrive in Dhaka on January 10 and the tour ends on February 15. Right-handed batsman Kavem Hodge has gotten his maiden international call-up after being included in the Test squad.

Shayne Moseley and Kyle Mayers toured England and New Zealand. The duo has now earned Test call-ups. Roger Harper, the CWI’s lead selector, lauded Hodge, Moseley and Mayers for their impressive performances in recent times.

Mayers was also impressive in the 2020 edition of the Caribbean Premier League where he represented the Barbados Tridents, captained by Jason Holder.

West Indies Test squad: 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

West Indies ODI squad: 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 junior