West Indies playing XI for first Test against England at Lord's announced

West Indies, on Tuesday (July 9), announced their playing eleven for the first Test against England, scheduled to begin on Wednesday at Lord's.

The Test will be West Indies' first since the Gabba Test against Australia in January this year. The Caribbean outfit had registered a famous 8-run win in that game and will be looking to start the three-match series against England with a win as well.

West Indies have made three changes to the playing eleven that played their last Test. Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Justin Greaves, and Kevin Sinclair have lost their place in the playing eleven. Of the three, Chanderpaul and Greaves are not even in the Test squad.

With Chanderpaul not a part of the squad, captain Kraigg Brathwaite has a new opening partner in Mikyle Louis. The uncapped batsman earned his maiden Test call-up after finishing the West Indies' four-day championship as the leading run-scorer.

The 23-year-old recently impressed in the warm-up game as well, scoring a fine fifty against County XI. Louis will become the first player from the island of St Kitts to play Test cricket for the West Indies. The openers will be followed by Kirk McKenzie and Alick Althanze.

West Indies Playing XI for the first Test against England:

Kavem Hodge, Joshua Da Silva, and former captain Jason Holder will be following the top four. The Test will mark Holder's return to international cricket after he missed the T20 World Cup due to an injury. Both Hodge and Da Silva impressed in the warm-up game.

Hodge scored 112 runs in the first innings while the wicketkeeper scored an unbeaten 51 in the second innings. They had impressed in the Gabba Test as well, sharing a decisive 149-run stand after West Indies were reduced to 64 for 5 in the first innings.

West Indies have named three pacers and one spinner in the team. Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, and Jayden Seales are the three fast bowlers while Gudakesh Motie is the lone spinner. Seales has impressed in county cricket this season, picking up 24 wickets in 6 games for Sussex.

West Indies Playing XI:

Kraigg Brathwaite (c), Mikyle Louis, Kirk McKenzie, Alick Athanaze, Kavem Hodge, Jason Holder, Joshua da Silva (wk), Gudakesh Motie, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Jayden Seales