The West Indies cricket team has announced that Barbados seamer Akeem Jordan will replace fast bowler Jeremiah Louis in their 15-man squad for the third and final Test against England.
Louis was ruled out due to a hamstring injury sustained during the second Test at Trent Bridge.
Louis, 28, was originally included in the squad following an injury to the experienced Kemar Roach. The pacer from St Kitts and Nevis, with 151 first-class wickets to his name, had hoped to make his Test debut in this series. However, the Cricket West Indies (CWI) media release on Wednesday confirmed that Louis will be sidelined, although he remains with the squad for further treatment.
The West Indies suffered a heavy innings and 114-run defeat in the first Test at Lord’s, followed by a 241-run loss in the second Test at Trent Bridge, despite a more competitive performance. Louis contributed as a substitute fielder, taking a catch to dismiss English captain Ben Stokes on the first day of the second Test.
Not new to the West Indies setup
Jordan, 29, is not new to the West Indies setup, having played in two One-Day Internationals against the UAE in June 2023. He made his international debut in Sharjah, taking one for 36. Jordan was also part of the squad for the two-match Test series in Australia earlier this year but did not play.
The CWI release stated, “Jordan has been in the UK and has joined up with the squad, taking part in training on July 24.” With 67 wickets in 19 first-class matches and a career-best of five for 44, Jordan has shown potential. He took eight wickets in four matches for Barbados in this year’s West Indies Regional Four-day Championships.
As the third Test begins at Edgbaston in Birmingham on Friday, starting at 6 am, Jordan hopes to earn his first Test cap for the West Indies.
Squad for the final Test: Kraigg Brathwaite (captain), Alzarri Joseph (vice-captain), Alick Athanaze, Joshua Da Silva, Kavem Hodge, Jason Holder, Tevin Imlach, Akeem Jordan, Shamar Joseph, Mikyle Louis, Zachary McCaskie, Kirk McKenzie, Gudakesh Motie, Jayden Seales, Kevin Sinclair
