'He keeps letting himself and his teammates down' – Phil Simmons disappointed with Shimron Hetmyer's fitness

West Indies is going to play a three-match ODI series and a T20I against Ireland in January which will be followed by a five-match T20I series against England from January 22 to 30. West Indies announced the squad for these two series last week and Shimron Hetmyer was not a part of the team.

West Indies coach Phil Simmons mentioned during a press conference that Hetmyer is letting down himself and his teammates by not paying enough attention to his physical fitness. Hetmyer also missed the recent tour to Pakistan because of personal reasons.

“It’s something that’s heart-wrenching because you know that you’re part of this team and you have to continue to be a certain fitness to be part of this team, and you keep letting down your team-mates,” Simmons said during the press conference.

“It’s disappointing and again, we have to go back to this and I think it’s something which we shouldn’t have to be going back to all the time. He keeps letting down himself and his teammates.”

No place for Chris Gayle in the upcoming series

Chris Gayle has also not been picked in the West Indies squad after Cricket West Indies chief executive Johnny Grave had earlier suggested that the board might host a farewell match for him. Simmons mentioned that Gayle is not a part of the West Indies makeup anymore and he didn’t receive any update from the board regarding his inclusion in the team.

“It’s something that I would like to see start in our cricket,” Simmons said. “But when we sit down to select a squad, we sit down to select the best squad for the upcoming series. If it’s a case where a send-off is to happen for Chris, then for us to select him, if he’s not part of our make-up, it has to come from above us. I can’t really say if that’s going to happen later on in the year,” he further added.

Kieron Pollard who missed the last series against Pakistan has recovered from his injury and would be leading the side. Fabian Allen, Evin Lewis, and Anderson Phillip who tested positive for Covid-19 during the tour to Pakistan have been sidelined. Also, Andre Russell is not picked in the team despite him performing well in the T10 League and Big Bash League.