Alzarri Joseph, Jason Holder to return home early from World Cup Qualifiers ahead of series against India

The two star West Indies players Alzarri Joseph and Jason Holder will return home early from the ongoing World Cup qualifiers 2023 being played in Zimbabwe, in order to rest and prepare for the upcoming two match test series against India. 

The world number one Indian team is in the West Indies for a full tour which includes two test matches, three one-day internationals and five T20 internationals. The series between the two great cricket nations will start on July 12 in Dominica with the first test match. 

The former West Indies great and current head of selectors for the West Indies told ESPNcricinfo, ”Jason and Alzarri are two of our leading bowlers in all formats. We have a full schedule for the upcoming series against India, where we begin the new ICC World Test Championship, then followed by the ODIs and the five T20Is. Therefore, we had dialogue, and it was felt the best move at this time is to have two of our leading bowlers return early from Zimbabwe.”

It must be remembered that it was a disappointing campaign for the West Indies in Zimbabwe where the qualifying stage of the ICC 2023 cricket World Cup is being held currently. 

The West Indies, who were world champions in the first two editions in 1975 and 1979 did not only have to go through the qualifying stage but they could not do well enough to make it to the tournament which will be held in India later this year. 

One of the greatest teams in the history of cricket, the West Indies or going through a horrible face for the last several years where they have consistently failed at the bigger stage and have not been able to live up to the promise that some of their players have. 

The West Indies have also withdrawn leg spinner Yannic Cariah from the tournament being played in Zimbabwe after suffering an injury during the training, which will require him to undergo surgery. The squad in Zimbabwe of the Caribbean side now is of only 13 days but no replacement or additions have been announced by the West Indies cricket board. 

While the first test against India will be at Dominica from July 12, the second test will be held at Port of Spain on July 20. The test match series will be followed by three match one-day international series and then the two teams will play in five T20 nationals in which the last two will be played at Fort Lauderhill in the United States of America on August 13.

The West Indies have to go through some sweeping changes in their cricket team as well as the way they played again after failing to qualify for the World Cup that starts on October 5 in the final to be held on November 19. 

In the tournament which is being played on the African continent, the West Indies started well by defeating smaller teams such as the USA and Nepal, but they could not muster a win against the host nation Zimbabwe and also against the Netherlands, whom they lost in the super over of a high-scoring match.

While Sri Lanka have qualified for the World Cup to be played in India later this year, the second team is yet to be confirmed as the host team Zimbabwe have been knocked out after they lost to Scotland on July 4.