Why is Andre Russell missing from West Indies' T20I squad to play South Africa
The West Indies have announced their T20I squad for the three-match series. Their regular captain, Rovman Powell, will be at the helm again, leading the unit, whereas Roston Chase will be his deputy.
Several big names feature in the squad, starting from Nicholas Pooran, who played for Northern Superchargers in The Hundred, and Shimron Hetmyer, featuring for London Spirit. Other quality players include Johnson Charles, Shai Hope, Sherfane Rutherford, and Romario Shepherd, making the squad look formidable.
However, one notable absence from the South Africa series is the superstar Andre Russell, who was with London Spirit in The Hundred. A statement released by Cricket West Indies confirmed Russell opted for a rest after playing relentlessly since the start of the year and will work with the medical team to remain fit for future series.
“Andre Russell requested a period of rest and recovery as well as Jason Holder who played five back-to-back five Tests against England and South Africa. During this period, they will work closely with the CWI science and medicine team.”
The West Indies start building for the next T20 World Cup
It will be West Indies’ first T20I series since their early exit from the T20 World Cup 2024 at home. The focus will shift towards the next T20 World Cup in 2026, which will happen in India and Sri Lanka.
During this edition, the West Indies reached the Super 8 round but couldn’t go further after losing two of their three games in this phase. They did well in the group stage, winning all four games against some quality teams but lost form by the time they advanced to the next stage and missed qualifying for the semifinal.
However, the West Indies have historically done well in India and Sri Lanka in the T20 World Cup. Hence, they hope to work towards the next edition as a unit and win the tournament.
The rubber will begin with two back-to-back matches on August 23 and 24 before capping off on August 27. All three games of this South Africa series will happen in Brian Lara Stadium, Tarouba, Trinidad.
West Indies squad for the South Africa series: Rovman Powell (Captain), Roston Chase (Vice-Captain), Alick Athanaze, Johnson Charles, Matthew Forde, Shimron Hetmyer, Fabian Allen, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Shamar Joseph, Obed McCoy, Gudakesh Motie, Nicholas Pooran, Sherfane Rutherford, and Romario Shepherd.
For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Telegram and YouTube.