West Indies coach Daren Sammy hopes to go up the table with ninth-place Pakistan and their new/old captain, Babar Azam, despite his stated goal when he took over as head coach in December 2024 (he began in April 2025) being to try to win the next WTC (2027-29).
In the current World Test Championship cycle, the West Indies are ranked eighth out of nine teams and have only won one of ten games.
You see, everything is a process. When I started this job, I thought back to our first three Test series: Australia in challenging conditions here, the West Indies in India, and the West Indies in New Zealand. Phew! Before the first Test match against Pakistan, which will begin on Saturday at Tarouba’s Brian Lara Stadium—the location hosting a Test for the first time—Sammy remarked, “That was three really challenging ones.
“Additionally, the players would have needed to be given the chance to improve the team and ensure that everyone got along. Particularly with the Sri Lanka series [which the West Indies won 1-0 in early July], we could see some light emerging. We now have Pakistan. According to the international standings, we are likely four or five points out of the top six (they are eighth and only three points away from No. 6).
The group is aware of our goals. Every player is aware of their part in helping us do that. Therefore, for me, the process has always been straightforward: figure out the direction we want to go, discuss it with the director, the captain, and the players, then figure out how we’re going to achieve it.
Therefore, if you notice that I’m always calm, it’s not because of outside noise but rather because I understand what our group is trying to accomplish.”
Although he hasn’t been ruled out of the Pakistan Tests, wicketkeeper-batter Amir Jangoo sustained a shoulder injury during the ODI series against New Zealand, which came after the Tests against Sri Lanka. This is concerning, particularly since his double-century helped the West Indies defeat Sri Lanka by an innings in the first Test.
Although Joshua Da Silva is also included in the team, Shai Hope might be called “for a couple more favours” to fill in behind the stumps in order to maintain team balance. Da Silva had kept wicket in the first of the two Test matches against Sri Lanka, while Hope had done so in the second. With Jangoo’s injury, Shai Hope is likely to be asked to pick up the gloves once more, according to Sammy. “I’m talking to him.
I’m attempting to ask him for a few more favours because you need to take into account his workload, remember the other two forms, and urge him to score some significant runs. We’ll have a discussion about that. Knowing Shai, I believe that he will benefit from picking up the gloves. However, Joshua Da Silva, Amir Jangoo, and I have discussed the next steps.
[Jangoo] is still accessible. As I mentioned, Dr. [Dennis] People are kept in the park by Byam, the physiotherapist. Thus, hopefully Jangoo is batting in the nets after missing the last match of the ODI series. Hopefully, he’s still up for selection.
Joshua Bishop, a left-arm spinner, has been called up for the first time for the Pakistan Tests, and Kirk McKenzie, a top-order batsman who hasn’t played since 2024, has returned.
Indeed, Joshua Bishop has been actively pursuing opportunities each season. Additionally, given the current venues—the second Test will take place at Port of Spain—we will likely be able to play two real spinners, with Roston [Chase] serving as captain, Sammy added.
“And Joshua Bishop’s contribution and performances brings him and forces his way into the Test team. “Young McKenzie is also a very promising possibility for us. He had previously been on the team. In the Test match we won in Australia, where Shamar Joseph had his historic moment, I recall seeing him score a valiant half-century [41].
He kind of went out of shape. And the work he’s done over the past two or three years… John Campbell, who was playing well in the previous Test series, evidently suffered an injury. McKenzie is thus given the chance to join the team. However, going forward, [the plan] is to try to establish or have that pool of players where the role remains the same even if one person is absent. That position could be filled by someone else.
The West Indies will play their first Test match since Sir Garry Sobers passed away, and the series will be dedicated to honouring his legacy. Sir Garry was a great one that we recently lost. He made a significant contribution to the Test match, and as a result, we have a large number of fans and cricket enthusiasts.
“He made a huge contribution to that,” Sammy remarked.
“So throughout this series, we’ll be playing, trying to honour his legacy and trying to put performances that he would be proud of.”
