Currently, West Indies is in Zimbabwe participating in the ODI World Cup qualifiers, which are slated to conclude on July 9, just three days before their first Test against India on July 12.
Considering the limited gap between these two international assignments, there are discussions about potential changes to the Test match dates. Cricket West Indies (CWI) is actively exploring various options to prevent any scheduling conflicts. Presently, there is no official talk of rescheduling the India vs West Indies Test series. CWI typically utilizes different squads for white-ball and red-ball formats, but there are a few players who feature in both formats, including Jason Holder, Kyle Mayers, Roston Chase, and Alzarri Joseph, who are currently in Zimbabwe.
However, according to a report from Cricbuzz, CWI is formulating alternative plans to address this issue. “We have multiple options, but our primary focus is on qualifying for the ICC ODI World Cup 2023,” stated a CWI official to Cricbuzz. The report also mentions that CWI aims to secure the release of the four aforementioned players for the Test matches prior to the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 Qualifier final, which holds limited significance for qualification as reaching the final itself confirms two spots for the main tournament in October. “The final of the CWCQ is meaningless, so our Test players won’t participate, but first we need to make sure we reach the final,” added the CWI official.
On June 18, West Indies achieved a 39-run victory over the United States. Their upcoming matches include fixtures against Nepal on Thursday (June 22), followed by a crucial encounter against Zimbabwe on June 24 in their group (A), and a match against the Netherlands two days later. If they qualify, they will progress to the Super Sixes stage, which starts on June 29 and concludes on July 7, culminating in the final on July 9 between the top two teams from the Super Sixes stage. The first Test against India is scheduled for July 12 in Dominica, followed by the second Test on July 20 in Trinidad. The tour will then proceed with three ODIs and five T20Is.
