Marlon Samuels and Darren Bravo axed for the ODI series against England

Flamboyant Caribbean batsman Marlon Samuels has been left out of the West Indies squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against England starting on March 3. Samuels last donned the national colours against Pakistan in UAE last year after getting dropped from the team for the following tri-series in Zimbabwe. Hopes of Samuels making a comeback became a reality when the right-hander was cleared to bowl by the ICC last week after serving a one-year ban.

His all-round abilities might have prompted the selectors to call him back but they decided against it and didn’t give him a go. Despite being the highest run-scorer for West Indies in the ODI series against Pakistan with 116 runs in 3 games, Samuels was left out of the squad. Along with him, southpaw Darren Bravo was also left out of the squad who had lost his cool last year after he was given a Grade C contract by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB).

Taking to his twitter handle, Bravo also called the WICB President as an idiot. The statement obviously didn’t go down well with the board and he was subsequently left out for the tri-series in Zimbabwe. Reports emerged that he might have a discussion with the WICB to sort out the issue but it didn’t happen.

While all-rounder Jason Holder has been retained as the captain, the squad includes the likes of leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo, T20 World Cup hero Carlos Brathwaite, Test specialist Kraig Brathwaite and hard-hitting southpaw Evin Lewis who scored a magnificent century against India in the T20 series in the USA last year.

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While the opening two matches will be played at Antigua on 3rd and 5th March respectively, the final encounter will be played on March 9 at Barbados.

West Indies Squad: Jason Holder (Captain), Devendra Bishoo, Carlos Brathwaite, Kraigg Brathwaite, Jonathan Carter, Miguel Cummins, Shane Dowrich, Shannon Gabriel, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Evin Lewis, Jason Mohammed, Ashley Nurse, Kieran Powell, Rovman Powell.