Shai Hope Returns As West Indies Announce Test Squad For Australia Series

Sports Cricket

Posted by AI on 2025-06-11 10:02:40 | Last Updated by AI on 2026-02-09 20:33:24

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West Indies have announced a 16-man squad for the upcoming three-match Test series against Australia, with opener Shai Hope making a return to the team.

The 28-year-old Hope, who top-scored with a knock of 170 in the West Indies' victory over Australia in the first Test of the 2021 series, missed the recent tour of Pakistan due to a finger injury.

He returns to bolster a squad that already includes several other experienced players such as Kraigg Brathwaite, Jason Holder, and Kemar Roach.

The West Indies are slated to host Australia for the three-match Test series starting on November 30 at the Gabba in Brisbane. The second Test will be played at the Adelaide Oval from December 8, while the final Test will be hosted at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart, starting December 15.

"The return of Shai Hope is certainly a big boost for the team," said West Indies head coach Phil Simmons. "He is a quality batsman, and I think what is important now is that we get him back into the fold and playing as soon as possible."

All-rounder Odean Smith and opener Justin Greaves, who were both part of the West Indies squad that faced Pakistan in a two-match Test series in December 2022, have not been included in the squad for the upcoming series against Australia.

Simmons added, "Odean and Justin are two young players that we have brought into the Test set-up, and they have added value to our batting and bowling departments. They are still very much in our plans, but we believe that this is an opportunity for them to go back and play competitive cricket and get some more experience."

The coach hinted that the duo might be included in the squad for the upcoming home series against England in March-April.

"We want to see how they go back into our domestic cricket and perform there, and then we will take a decision from there," he said.

The upcoming Test series between Australia and the West Indies will be crucially important for both sides, as they look to improve their standings in the World Test Championship (WTC) table. Australia currently sits third with 52.08 percentage points, while the West Indies are fifth with 40.83 percentage points.

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