WI vs ENG 2022 | Ollie Robinson to miss first Test due to back injury
Ollie Robinson to miss first Test due to back injury
|The three-match Test series between West Indies and England will get underway on March 8 at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. England fast bowler Ollie Robinson has been ruled out of the series opener after suffering a back spasm in the warm-up match against a CWI President's XI last week.
After winning the T20I series by 3-2 at home just over a month ago, West Indies will again host a three-match Test series against England, starting from March 8 at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, Antigua.Â
At the eleventh hour of the series opener, England all-rounder Chris Woakes confirmed that Ollie Robinson, who suffered a back spasm on the third morning of England's warm-up against a Cricket West Indies President's XI last week, did not train with the squad on Sunday, March 6, and was left out of the 12-member squad.
"Ollie is a talented bowler. Naturally he'll be a big miss," Woakes was quoted as saying in a BBC report. "He's shown in his short Test career so far that he's certainly got the skills and the ability to do good things in the format. At the same time, it gives people opportunities,” he added.
England, meanwhile, have brought ih Saqib Mahmood to replace Robinson in their 12-member squad. If they go with a quartet of fast bowlers, Mahmood will make the cut, in the absence of left-arm spinner Jack Leach. Otherwise, Mark Wood, Chris Woakes and Craig Overton, along with Leach will complete the English bowling attack.
The final lineup, however, will be confirmed at the toss.
After dropping James Anderson and Stuart Broad, England’s top two leading Test wicket-takers, for the West Indies tour, Robinson was supposed to be a key part of the English attack. Now, neither Anderson, 39, nor Broad, 35, are likely to join the squad even if Robinson is ruled out of the entire West Indies series, with Warwickshire fast-bowler Liam Norwell, 30, their first reserve.
England squad for the first West Indies Test: Joe Root (captain), Ben Foakes (wicketkeeper), Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow, Zak Crawley, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Alex Lees, Saqib Mahmood, Craig Overton, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.
