He last played a Test match in 2021.
West Indies are set to host the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 runners-up, Australia, for a three-match Test series, starting on June 25 in Barbados. Shai Hope, who represented the Delhi Capitals (DC) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, has made a shocking return to the West Indies playing XI in the first Test. He has replaced wicketkeeper Tevin Imlach, who recently made his Test debut during the Pakistan tour in January 2025.
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Apart from Hope entering the squad in place of Imlach, there have been four more changes in the West Indies playing XI for the first Test against Australia. Roston Chase will take over the captaincy charges once again after Kraigg Brathwaite’s resignation earlier this year. Notably, Chase has not featured in a red-ball match since March 2023.
Opener Brandon King is set to make his debut in the format at No.4. After a stellar run in white-ball cricket, Keacy Carty has also made a comeback in the Test squad. Pacer Shamar Joseph, who missed the series against Pakistan due to injury rehabilitation, has been named in the playing XI. Southpaw John Campbell has also made a return to the side after nearly three years.
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The side has continued a poor form in the recent red-ball matches. The last time they won a home series was against Bangladesh in 2022 (2-0). Since then, the team has lost two consecutive Test series at home against India and South Africa, respectively (0-1). The latest Test series between Bangladesh and the West Indies in 2024 ended in a draw.
Notably, Australia are visiting the West Indies for a two-match Test series after a decade. In June 2015, Michael Clarke and Co. won comprehensively by nine wickets and 277 runs, respectively, as they clean-swept the Windies at their home to take the series by 2-0.
Once again, the Aussies would start the series as favourites. But Chase and Co. would also look to put up a tough fight to start the new WTC cycle for 2025-27 on a high. The match will be followed by two other fixtures on July 3 and July 13, in Grenada and Jamaica, respectively.
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