ST JOHN’S, Antigua: Kieron Pollard will not travel to Pakistan for the ODI and T20I series tour that starts next week after failing to recover from a hamstring injury that he picked up at the T20 World Cup.
In his absence, Nicholas Pooran will be T20I captain and Shai Hope will be ODI captain. Pollard has been replaced by allrounder Rovman Powell for the T20Is and wicketkeeper-batter Devon Thomas for the ODIs.
A CWI statement said that Pollard will undergo rehabilitation work in Trinidad and will be reassessed in a few weeks ahead of the upcoming home tours against Ireland and England in January 2022.
This will be the first time Hope will be ODI captain and has a challenge ahead. The three ODIs are part of the World Cup Super League competition where West Indies are eighth on the points table with four wins in nine ODIs. However, a 3-0 ODI series sweep will lift West Indies to third.
Pollard’s experience will be missed in the West Indies contingent which is light on experience. None of Jason Holder, Andre Russell, Evin Lewis or Shimron Hetmyer are part of the squads. The ODI squad is instead full of inexperienced but promising players like Justin Greaves, Shamarh Brooks, Gudakesh Motie and Odean Smith while the T20I squad includes Dominic Drakes and Motie.
West Indies have had a positive run when Pooran has stood-in as captain. Under his leadership, West Indies recently defeated Australia 4-1 in home conditions earlier this year. Hope will be his T20I team vice-captain while Pooran will be the ODI team deputy.
