Published: Oct 02, 2018, 01:49 PM (IST)
Edited: Oct 02, 2018, 01:49 PM (IST)
West Indies pacer Kemar Roach will miss the first Test between India and West Indies starting October 4 in Rajkot.
Roach, 30, had returned home following the death of his grandmother and missed the two-day warm-up game between West Indies and the Board President’s XI.
Roach, who last played for West Indies in the first Test against Bangladesh in July at Antigua, had taken five wickets in the first innings.
“Unfortunately Kemar is not back in the country yet, he’s had a bereavement in the family, unfortunately he’s had to go home in Barbados,” coach Stuart Law said. “He will be rejoining the squad halfway through the Test match, he should be back in the country and ready to go for the second Test. Kemar Roach is very experienced, has great skills and is one of our leaders in the group, he’s a big loss. Missing Kemar is a big hole.”
Roach is the most experienced pacer in the West Indies squad having played 48 Tests. Shannon Gabriel and Jason Holder have played 37 and 34 Tests, respectively. The other two paces – Keemo Paul has just played one Test, while Sherman Lewis, who replaced the injured Alzarri Joseph, is yet to make his debut.
India will host West Indies for two Tests, five ODIs and three Twenty20 Internationals with the first Test in Rajkot beginning on October 4.
