Team captain Joshua Da Silva expressed his excitement about leading the West Indies A team on their upcoming trip to South Africa and the opportunities it presents for the players.
The team departed from Barbados for a tour that includes three “Tests” against South Africa A in Benoni, East London, and Bloemfontein from November 21 to December 8.
In an interview with CWI Media, Da Silva shared his enthusiasm for the tour, saying, “It will be the second time that I will be going to South Africa for the year, but I am excited to lead this team and learn from the experience, and I hope that everybody takes it with both hands, and we have a successful tour.”
Seizing the opportunity and gaining valuable experience
He emphasized the importance of seizing the opportunity and gaining valuable experience. With several young players on the team, Da Silva stressed the significance of focusing on the basics, building good camaraderie, and celebrating each other’s successes. He expressed confidence that everyone would contribute positively to the team’s efforts.
Da Silva previously led the West Indies A team to a series victory in Bangladesh in August and hopes for similar results in South Africa. As the first-choice wicketkeeper-batsman for the senior West Indies Test team over the past three years, he is looking to leverage his knowledge of South African conditions to contribute to the team’s success.
Regarding the tour’s objectives, Da Silva stated, “A series win is definitely what we are going there to do. We are going to play our hearts out to win every match. It’s not going to be easy, we know that for sure. But putting our best foot forward and doing the right things for as long as possible, I am pretty confident we can get the results.”
Da Silva also highlighted that the South Africa series could serve as a valuable preparation for players aspiring to join the senior Test team for the upcoming tour of Australia in January to February. He noted the similarity in conditions between South Africa and Australia, making it an ideal opportunity for players to gain experience and form.
The squad includes five players with senior international Test experience, three players who made their first-class debuts this year, and experienced assistant coaches Jimmy Adams and Shaun Tait.
