West Indies skipper Kraigg Brathwaite says his team is up to the challenge of playing in Bangladesh.
The regional team departed on Thursday and Friday for Bangladesh, where the West Indies will play three ODIs and two Test matches in January and February.
The squad is expected to arrive in Bangladesh on January 10 and Brathwaite admits it will be a tough tour.
“We are all up for the challenge… it will be a tough series in Bangladesh but we have confidence and we have a belief that we will do very well,” Brathwaite said.
“We have some members of the squad who will be playing there for the first time so it will be something new to them, but they know they have the talent and are capable of performing at this level,” Brathwaite added.
Braithwaite emphasized that his team must be properly focused and disciplined in their approach.
“It’s about being very clear in our plans, whether when we’re batting or when we’re bowling. We have to know how we want to play … how we are going to score our runs and how we are going to look for our wickets. Patience will be the key. It’s always very important in the Test format and especially on the pitches in Bangladesh,” Brathwaite said.
The Barbadian opening batsman has scored three of his eight Test centuries against Bangladesh, with his highest Test score of 212 being scored there in 2014.
Brathwaite also scored 121 and 110 in the two-match Test series in Bangladesh in 2018, which the home team won 2-0.
Twelve players turned down the opportunity to tour Bangladesh, with 10 citing COVID-19 pandemic concerns.
Test skipper Jason Holder and limited-overs captain Kieron Pollard were among those declining to tour Bangladesh.
All squad members returned their second negative COVID-19 PCR tests as part of the established medical protocols and have been cleared for travel to Bangladesh.
West Indies ODI Squad: Jason Mohammed (captain), Sunil Ambris (vice-captain), Nkrumah Bonner, Joshua Da Silva, Keon Harding, Jahmar Hamilton, Chemar Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Andre McCarthy, Kjorn Ottley, Rovman Powell, Raymon Reifer, Hayden Walsh jr
West Indies Test Squad: Kraigg Brathwaite (captain), Jermaine Blackwood (vice-captain), Nkrumah Bonner, John Campbell, Rahkeem Cornwall, Joshua Da Silva, Shannon Gabriel, Kavem Hodge, Alzarri Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Shayne Moseley, Veerasammy Permaul, Kemar Roach, Raymon Reifer, Jomel Warrican
Team Management: Phil Simmons (Head Coach), Rawl Lewis (Team Manager), Roddy Estwick (Assistant Coach), Monty Desai (Assistant Coach), Rayon Griffith (Assistant Coach), Denis Byam (Physiotherapist), Dr Praimanand Singh (Team Doctor), Ronald Rogers (Strength & Conditioning Coach), Sharon Coppin (Massage Therapist), Simeon Christophe (Massage Therapist), Donald LeGuerre (Mental Skills Coach), Dario Barthley (Media & Content Officer), Paul Slowe (Security & Compliance Officer), A.R Srikkanth (Team Analyst)
Full Tour Schedule
January 10: West Indies arrive
January 18: One-day warm-up match, BKSP, Savar
January 20 1st ODI, SBNCS, Dhaka
January 22: 2nd ODI, SBNCS, Dhaka
January 25: 3rd ODI, ZACS, Chattogram
January 28-31: Four-day warm-up, M.A. Aziz Stadium, Chattogram
February 3-7: 1st Test Match, ZACS, Chattogram
February 11-15: 2nd Test Match, SBNCS, Dhaka
