Not Shimron Hetmyer! Brian Lara wants to see this T20I superstar in West Indies Test Squad against England

Legendary cricketer Brian Lara expressed disappointment over Nicholas Pooran's absence from the West Indies' Test side for the upcoming series against England. Brian Lara said that Nicholas Pooran and Shai Hope should have been included in the squad, considering their ability to succeed in Test cricket.

The Windies secured a historic Test victory against Australia in Brisbane when they last played Test cricket. It was their first win on Australian soil in 27 years. They leveled the series 1-1 and ended a long drought of Test wins in Australia. Shamar Joseph played a pivotal role by taking seven wickets in the final innings.

Don't Know If Nicholas Pooran Was Asked - Brian Lara

Speaking to The Guardian, Brian Lara stated that he would love to see Nicholas Pooran and Shai Hope back in the West Indies Test team. Lara mentioned uncertainty about whether Pooran was approached. He hoped that the West Indies would succeed during the upcoming tour of England.

"Everyone would love to see Nicholas Pooran in a Test match. I don’t know if he was asked, I don’t know the situation. I’d love to see a Shai Hope back in the West Indies team. But we’ve got to play with what we have," Lara stated.

"And what we have is a group of young players that want to play for West Indies, that want to play Test cricket. Hopefully, their style will come out and they can be successful," he added.

The West Indies have a disappointing record in England in red-ball cricket, with their last series victory on English soil in 1988. During their 2020 tour, they won the first Test but lost the subsequent two matches. The West Indies won a Test series against England in 2022 by a 1-0 margin on their home soil.

This West Indies Can Stand Tall - Brian Lara

Brian Lara expressed his joy over the West Indies' Test win over Australia at the Gabba earlier this year. He emphasized how significant this victory was for West Indies cricket after a 27-year wait for a Test win in Australia. Lara praised the young cricketers for their resilience and determination.

"This West Indies team can stand tall today, West Indies cricket can stand tall today. When you’re in Australia, you understand there’s going to be that slight arrogance. The final day, they felt it was going to be an easy task. I was just very proud of these young cricketers. Twenty-seven years it took us to win a Test match in Australia. I couldn’t be a happier West Indian," Lara added.

The upcoming Test series between England and the West Indies will begin on July 10 at Lord's in London. It will mark James Anderson's final international match. The second Test match will be at Trent Bridge starting on July 18, with the final match scheduled at Edgbaston beginning on July 26.

England is at the bottom of the nine-team World Test Championship (WTC) table, having secured only three wins out of ten matches. The West Indies, on the other hand, are in sixth place with one win in four matches, holding a Points Percentage (PCT) of 33.33.

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