West Indies stars opt for CLT20 over Test series

Narine was dropped for the Test series against New Zealand for choosing to play in the IPL final (©GettyImages).

Two West Indian players have chosen to play in the upcoming Champions League Twenty20 (CLT20) instead of representing their country in the Test series against Bangladesh, which gets underway on September 5 in St Vincent.

Even though the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) did not name the two players, it is understood that both of them were likely to play the first Test.

Noe deleterious effec

The WICB added that their "decisions will not have any deleterious effect on consideration for future West Indies selection" since the CLT20 has "an ICC approved window on the international schedule".

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The qualifying round of the CLT20 begins on September 13, which is the same day the second Test against Bangladesh is scheduled to commence.

Second tier squad

But, it is highly likely that the West Indies will field a second-tier squad since many of their top players will be representing the Barbados Tridents, who won the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), in the CLT20.

However, there are seven other West Indian superstars who will be playing for their respective Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises during the CLT20. They are Sunil Narine, Dwayne Bravo, Lendl Simmons, Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Smith, Andre Russell and Samuel Badree.

Holder debut

It has also been announced that pace bowler Jason Holder has been picked for the first Test, which means that he may not represent the Barbados Tridents in the CLT20.

This sort of problem has happened in the past as Narine was not considered for any of the Test matches against New Zealand earlier this year since he decided to play for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL final. Due to his absence during that series, Narine's place in the Test squad is now under threat by Shane Shillingford and Sulieman Benn.

Bravo back?

In April, Bravo expressed his desire to play Test cricket once again. However, it remains to be seen whether he picks his country and possibly makes his Test return after almost four years or the Chennai Super Kings.

West Indies squad: Denesh Ramdin (capt), Chris Gayle, Kraigg Brathwaite, Kirk Edwards, Darren Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Jermaine Blackwood, Kemar Roach, Jerome Taylor, Jason Holder, Shannon Gabriel, Sulieman Benn, Shane Shillingford.