ENG vs WI | Shannon Gabriel added to Windies squad after recovering from ankle injury
After monitoring his fitness, Cricket Windies have officially added Shannon Gabriel to main their squad for the Test series against England. Earlier, Gabriel was a part of the reserve touring party and added to the squad for the Ageas Bowl Test after proving his full fitness to the team physio.
After undergoing ankle surgery last year, Gabriel hasn’t played a single first-class game since September. That had cast doubts on his availability for the Wisden Trophy series against England, with the CWI adding him only in the reserve personnel. However, after claiming figures of 8 for 122 across West Indies' two warm-up games in Manchester, the pacer has been added to the squad for the first biosecure Test match between two sides, on July 8.
"I am delighted that we are able to add Shannon to the Test squad. He has shown that he is fit and ready, he will add experience, firepower and potency to the bowling unit,” CWI lead selector Roger Harper said in a press release, reported Cricbuzz.
As a matter of fact, Gabriel had a poor Test series against India in September 2019 and after that, during his dismal County outing with Gloucestershire, he suffered a right ankle injury that subsequently required him to undergo surgery.
Windies, who are in Manchester now, will travel to Southampton on July 3 and the first #raisethebat Test will be played at the Ageas Bowl, starting July 8.