Alzarri Joseph Ruled Out of India Test Series, Jediah Blades Named Replacement
In a massive setback for the West Indies ahead of their two-match Test series against India, pace spearhead Alzarri Joseph has been ruled out due to a recurring back injury. The West Indies Cricket Board (CWI) confirmed the development via their official social media handles, announcing that Jediah Blades has been named as cover for the series.
The first Test begins on October 2 at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, with the second scheduled for October 10–14 at Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi.
Alzarri’s Back Injury Resurfaces
Joseph, the right-arm fast bowler, complained of discomfort during training last week. Subsequent scans revealed irritation in his previously resolved lower-back injury, prompting the CWI medical team to pull him out of the squad as a precautionary measure.
The news comes as a body blow for the Caribbean side, given Joseph’s stature as one of the most experienced bowlers in the current setup. Having taken 109 wickets from 33 Tests, he was expected to spearhead the pace attack alongside Jayden Seales in the absence of Shamar Joseph.
Jediah Blades to Join After Nepal Series
In Joseph’s absence, Jediah Blades has been drafted in as cover for the two-Test series. The 25-year-old pacer is currently representing West Indies in their white-ball series against Nepal and will fly directly to India once his commitments are completed.
CWI also revealed that they had approached former captain Jason Holder to step in as a replacement, but the all-rounder declined, citing medical reasons.
Double Blow for West Indies Pace Attack
This marks the second major setback for West Indies ahead of the India series. Earlier this week, Shamar Joseph was ruled out with an undisclosed injury, forcing the selectors to draft in Johann Layne as his replacement.
Shamar Joseph’s absence had already weakened the Windies bowling depth, as he played a key role in their recent home series against Australia. Now with Alzarri sidelined too, the visitors will rely heavily on Jayden Seales, Johann Layne, Anderson Phillip, and spin options like Roston Chase and Jomel Warrican to counter India’s formidable batting lineup.
A Tough Start to the New WTC Cycle
The upcoming two-Test series marks the beginning of West Indies’ new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. Under the leadership of Roston Chase, the team arrived in Ahmedabad earlier this week to acclimatize to Indian conditions.
However, the dual loss of their frontline fast bowlers has thrown their preparations into disarray. Facing a full-strength Indian side that includes Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Ravindra Jadeja, the West Indies will need extraordinary performances from their young pace attack to remain competitive.
For Alzarri Joseph, the timeline for recovery is yet to be confirmed, but CWI officials have indicated that his progress will be closely monitored before the team’s Bangladesh tour in October.
Updated West Indies Squad for India Tests
- Roston Chase (c)
- Jomel Warrican (vc)
- Kevlon Anderson
- Alick Athanaze
- John Campbell
- Tagenarine Chanderpaul
- Justin Greaves
- Shai Hope
- Tevin Imlach
- Jayden Seales
- Johann Layne
- Jediah Blades (replacement for Alzarri Joseph)
- Brandon King
- Anderson Phillip
- Khary Pierre
