He complained of discomfort in the back.
In another massive blow for the West Indies, the premium pacer Alzarri Joseph has been ruled out of the two-match Test series against India, starting October 2. This comes after Shamar Joseph was already out due to an undisclosed injury.
A statement released by the cricket board says that Joseph complained of discomfort in the back and was taken for scans. The scan reports revealed a degeneration of the previously resolved lower back injury.
He suffered a stress fracture in late 2017 on the New Zealand tour and was out of competitive cricket for around six months before returning in June 2018. Now, a recurrence of lower back issues will certainly concern the West Indies as they prepare for crucial assignments in the upcoming months across formats.
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Jediah Blades, who is currently in Sharjah for the three-match T20I series, will replace him in the squad after the conclusion of the rubber. While he has yet to make his Test debut, Blades has 35 First Class wickets at 35.91 runs apiece in 25 innings, including a best of 4/37.
Meanwhile, former West Indies captain Jason Holder declined to join the Test squad as an injury replacement for Alzarri Joseph. Cricket West Indies confirmed that he was unavailable due to a planned medical procedure.
Holder has been in terrific form this year, albeit in T20s, contributing with both bat and ball across leagues and for the national team. His last Test outing came in 2024, but his recent exploits must have impressed selectors, and he might be on their radar again in future.
For the West Indies, problems keep increasing; they are already thin on depth and skills, and injuries to two premium fast bowlers make their pace attack vulnerable against a quality Indian batting unit. They will now rely on spinners to do the heavy lifting throughout the series because pacers don’t have ample experience in these conditions.
None of their speedsters – Jayden Seales, Anderson Phillip, Johann Layne, and Jediah Blades – have played in India, and two of them have yet to make their Test debut. A lot will rely on batters and spinners if the Caribbean side wants to pose a threat to a ruthless Indian side with all bases covered in their own backyard.
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