West Indies Announce Squad For Tests Against Australia; Tagenarine Chanderpaul Earns Maiden Call-Up

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Left-handed batter Tagenarine Chanderpaul on Saturday earned a call-up to the West Indies squad for the two-match series against Australia to be played in December this year.

Tagenarine, 24, is the son of West Indies batting great Shivnarine Chanderpaul, and has aggregated 2,669 first-class runs at an average of 34.21 with five hundreds in first-class cricket till date.

"We have one newcomer to the team in Tagenarine Chanderpaul. He equipped himself very well in the West Indies Championship four-day matches and also did a very good job at the top of the order against Bangladesh A in Saint Lucia this summer. He has what it takes to do well at the highest level," said Desmond Haynes, lead selector of the senior men's team.

West Indies have also recalled two experienced players in off-spin all-rounder Roston Chase and middle-order batter Shamarh Brooks.

"Roston Chase has returned to the squad as an allrounder and we believe his experience and skill set will be beneficial and Shamarh Brooks has also returned to bolster the middle-order batting," added Haynes.

West Indies will play two Tests in Australia under the leadership of Kraigg Brathwaite. The first Test between these two teams will be played at Perth Stadium (November 30 to December 4) and second Test will be held at the Adelaide Oval (December 8-12), which is a day-night Test match.

The Test squad is expected to assemble in Australia on 10 November. As part of the preparations for the two-match series, the visitors will have a three-day warm-up game against an ACT/NSW XI at the Philip Oval, Canberra from November 17-19.

"We have a core group of players who have been part of the Test squad and have performed well. We have played two series this year -- against England and Bangladesh - and won both. We have been playing good Test cricket and expect to do well against the Australians on their home turf," expressed Haynes.

West Indies will also play a four-day pink ball match against the Australia Prime Minister's XI at the Manuka Oval in Canberra from November 23-26. The day/night match will be played under lights and will recognise the anniversary of the inaugural fixture in 1951, also against the West Indies.

The two-match Test series will be contested for the prestigious Frank Worrell Trophy -- named in honour of the legendary West Indies captain. It will also form part of the ICC World Test Championship cycle, where Australia are on top with 70% points while West Indies are sixth with 50% points.

West Indies Test Squad: Kraigg Brathwaite (Captain), Jermaine Blackwood (Vice Captain), Nkrumah Bonner, Shamarh Brooks, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Roston Chase, Joshua Da Silva, Jason Holder, Alzarri Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Anderson Phillip, Raymon Reifer, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales and Devon Thomas.