West Indies have added Alzarri Joseph, the 19-year-old fast bowler from Antigua, to their squad for the second Test against India, which begins in Jamaica on Saturday. The selectors have made no other changes to the squad, which now contains 14 players.
Joseph has only played 12 matches at the senior level, including eight first-class matches in which he has taken 24 wickets at an average of 24.45 with two five-wicket hauls. He was, however, one of West Indies’ most impressive performers on their way to winning the Under-19 World Cup in February. He was the joint third-highest wicket-taker in the tournament, grabbing 13 wickets at an average of 13.76, and also bowled its fastest ball, clocked at 143kph.
The inclusion of Joseph gives West Indies another genuine pace option as they try to bounce back from an innings defeat in the first Test in Antigua. They began the series with a bowling attack that contained only one genuine quick in Shannon Gabriel, supported by two medium-pace-bowling allrounders in Jason Holder and Carlos Brathwaite and legspinner Devendra Bishoo.
If West Indies look to play an extra fast bowler in Jamaica, they will have to choose between two players as yet uncapped in Test cricket in Joseph and the 25-year-old Barbados quick Miguel Cummins, who was part of the squad for the first Test but did not make the playing XI.
