Kevin Sinclair, an uncapped off-spinner, has been called up to the West Indies squad for the second Test against India. This decision comes after the West Indies suffered a heavy defeat in the first Test. Sinclair will replace left-arm, fast-bowling all-rounder Raymon Reifer in the 13-man squad for the final Test, which starts on Thursday in Trinidad.
The 23-year-old Sinclair has an impressive record in first-class cricket, having taken 54 wickets from 18 matches at an average of nearly 24. He made his first-class debut in 2020 and has already represented West Indies in white-ball cricket, playing seven One-Day Internationals and six Twenty20 Internationals.
During the previous first-class season, Sinclair claimed 18 wickets from five matches, playing a crucial role in helping the Guyana Harpy Eagles win the title. Now, he will have the opportunity to showcase his skills in the Test arena, as West Indies aim to bounce back from their heavy defeat in the opening Test.
In that first Test, West Indies struggled to contain India’s batsmen as they were bowled out for an embarrassing total of 185 in the first innings. Veteran Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin wreaked havoc, taking a match haul of 12 wickets. West Indies’ front-line spinners, Rahkeem Cornwall and Jomel Warrican, struggled to make an impact, managing only two wickets between them in 61 overs.
Raymon Reifer, who played a limited role in the first Test, will still travel to Port-of-Spain with the squad as injury cover. Reifer has played eight Tests for West Indies, scoring just two and 11 runs, and bowling only four overs in the previous Test.
West Indies’ dismal record against India in Tests continues, as they have now gone two decades without registering a victory against them. The selectors will hope that the inclusion of Sinclair adds a new dimension to their bowling attack and turns their fortunes around in the final Test.
The 13-man squad for the final Test includes captain Kraigg Brathwaite, vice-captain Jermaine Blackwood, Alick Athanaze, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Rahkeem Cornwall, Joshua Da Silva, Shannon Gabriel, Jason Holder, Alzarri Joseph, Kirk McKenzie, Kemar Roach, Kevin Sinclair, and Jomel Warrican.
As the West Indies prepare for the crucial encounter, all eyes will be on Sinclair to see if he can make an impact and help his team salvage some pride after the devastating defeat in the first Test.
