West Indies have three pacemen in Kemar Roach, Ravi Rampaul and Edwards in the squad to take advantage of a Sabina Park pitch which is expected to offer a fair degree of bounce.
Edwards has played 43 Tests for West Indies and picked up 122 wickets. He hasn’t been part of West Indies team for the last two years after picking up a back injury during West Indies’ campaign in the world Twenty20 in England in 2009.
He rushed his rehabilitation by turning out for Deccan Chargers in the Champions League and promptly picked up yet another injury.
Besides Edwards, all-rounder Brendan Nash, who had a poor series against Pakistan and was picked up by a spinner in each of his four innings, was retained for the value he brings to the lower order.
Trinidad opener Adrian Barath, who had returned to action in the final ODI against India after suffering a hamstring injury in the lead-up to the 2011 World Cup, was also included in the squad.
The stormy meeting with the WICB management last Tuesday meant Gayle was once again ignored and his future with the national team remains in doubt.
Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who like Gayle, had made disparaging remarks about the board in a radio interview was, however, included in the team.
The Board’s communiqué though stated that a meeting will be held with Chanderpaul prior to the Test.
Chanderpaul didn’t feature in the second Test against Pakistan due to injury and was not considered for the ODIs against India.
There was no place though for all-rounder Dwayne Bravo, who played the first two ODIs against India before asking to be rested for the remaining matches.
Allrounder Andre Russell, who scored an unbeaten 92 at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground in the third ODI against India, too was not considered.
The squad: Darren Sammy (c), Brendan Nash (vc), Adrian Barath, Carlton Baugh, Devendra Bishoo, Darren Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Fidel Edwards, Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach, Marlon Samuels, Ramnaresh Sarwan.