West Indies will be without their captain Jason Holder because of a shoulder injury for the entire tour of Bangladesh, starting November 22. They will be led by vice-captain Kraigg Brathwaite for the two-Test series in Chittagong and Dhaka.
Holder was replaced in the 15-man squad by Guyana allrounder Raymon Reifer, the only change from the squad that toured India last month. Reifer made his Test debut against New Zealand in Hamilton last year for a total of 52 runs and two wickets in the match. He had played two patient innings at No. 8 in the Test West Indies lost: an unbeaten 23 in the first innings and a 109-ball 29 in the second. He has not played another Test since then.
Holder has a partial thickness tear of the subscapularis tendon in his shoulder and will undergo physiotherapy and rehabilitation in Barbados, according to a CWI release. He will be reassessed in four weeks' time, according to CWI chief executive Johnny Grave.
"The medical panel were concerned that if Jason was to bowl in Bangladesh, the partial tear may become a full tear which may involve the need for surgery and/or a significant break from cricket," Grave told BCAcricket.org. "It was, therefore, then recommended for Jason not to travel to Bangladesh and instead undergo physiotherapy and rehab in Barbados."
Holder said that he had been troubled with the injury since the World Cup Qualifiers in March. "I am definitely disappointed not being able to make the tour to Bangladesh," he said. "But based on the advice from the medical team, we felt this was the best course of action to deal with the ongoing issues I have been having with my shoulder and prevent further damage.
"I've been having issues with my shoulder since the World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe in March. Since then I have been trying to manage it and the pain levels, but it has got to a point now where I've got to take time to correct it so that going forward I have no further issues. Obviously I am disappointed to miss the tour but I know the boys are capable of beating Bangladesh."
Ten members of the side will arrive in Chittagong on Wednesday, while the rest are scheduled to arrive in three groups on Thursday. West Indies' first on-field action in Bangladesh is a two-day practice match in Chittagong.
The two Test series will be followed by three ODIs and as many T20Is in December to be played in Dhaka and Sylhet.
Test squad: Kraigg Brathwaite (capt), Sunil Ambris, Devendra Bishoo, Roston Chase, Shane Dowrich, Shannon Gabriel, Jahmar Hamilton, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Shermon Lewis, Keemo Paul, Kieran Powell, Raymon Reifer, Kemar Roach, Jomel Warrican