The selectors opted to leave out the trio as “consistent
with the policy to expose young players” following West Indies' disappointing
performance in losing to Pakistan by 10 wickets in the World Cup quarterfinals
last month.
All three players failed to shine at the tournament on the
subcontinent, and coach Ottis Gibson was openly critical of the senior players
following the team's exit.
“We have looked at a mix of players who will take us through
the next five to 10 years,” chairman of selectors Clyde Butts said in a
statement. “There are some familiar faces who have not been included on this
occasion, but we have already identified the core of players who we will build
the team around, however the time has come for us to introduce a fresh crop of
players.” The series starts April 23 and is preceded by a Twenty20 match two
days earlier.
The 31-year-old Gayle is one of the most destructive batsmen
in world cricket and has scored 19 centuries in over 8,000 runs in 228 ODIs.
Last November, he scored 333 in the first test at Sri Lanka but the powerful left-hander
has now gone 34 ODIs without a century.
Chanderpaul, 36, averages more than 40 in 268 ODIs and close
to 50 in 129 tests in an international career that began in 1994. But the
unorthodox left-hander failed to score a half-century in five World Cup matches
and was dropped during the tournament.
The 30-year-old Sarwan has had a checkered recent past,
dropped from the tour of Sri Lanka last November due to what the West Indies
Cricket Board cited as an “extremely indifferent attitude and sporadic approach
toward fitness.” He enjoyed a fruitful return in the three-match series in Sri
Lanka prior to the World Cup, but averaged just 25 at the one-day event.
Left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn is another seasoned player
omitted from a 13-man squad that will be captained by Darren Sammy, with fellow
allrounder Dwayne Bravo his deputy after having recovered from the knee injury
that ended his World Cup.
Legspinner Anthony Martin is the only uncapped player in the
squad, while there are recalls for batsmen Marlon Samuels and Lendl Simmons.
“We have already seen players like Kemar Roach, Darren
Bravo, Andre Russell and Devendra Bishoo performing impressively on the
international stage, and we believe that players like (Kirk) Edwards and Martin
can step up similarly,” Butts said.
Samuels, 30, served a two-year ICC ban between 2008 and 2010
for having illegal contact with a bookmaker. He has been prolific upon his
return, leading the run-scoring charts at the 2011 Caribbean T20 and during the
regional first-class season.
The 28-year-old Martin excelled during 2010 regional 50-over
championship, taking eight wickets at a tournament-best economy rate of 2.82 as
the Leeward Islands shared the title with Barbados.
Simmons, who last played international cricket on the 2009-10
tour of Australia, has also forced his way back through consistent scoring at
regional level.
Devon Thomas retains the wicketkeeping duties even though
Carlton Baugh has recovered from the hamstring injury that forced his
withdrawal from the World Cup squad.
The WICB announced that Bravo has been given permission to
miss the following two tests to play in the Indian Premier League with Chennai
Super Kings. All-rounder Kieron Pollard will miss the entire Pakistan series to
play in the IPL with Mumbai Indians.
Darren Sammy
(captain), Dwayne Bravo (vice captain), Devendra Bishoo, Darren Bravo, Kirk
Edwards, Anthony Martin, Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach, Andre Russell, Marlon
Samuels, Lendl Simmons, Devon Smith, Devon Thomas.
Darren Sammy (captain),
Christopher Barnwell, Devendra Bishoo, Darren Bravo, Andre Fletcher, Danza
Hyatt, Ashley Nurse, Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels,
Krishmar Santokie, Lendl Simmons.
