“Obviously everybody wants to see those guys playing Test cricket for the West Indies”

Image courtesy of: West Indies Cricket Board

West Indies head coach Phil Simmons will meet five players who participated in the Indian Premier League (IPL) ahead of the Test series against Australia.

Simmons will hold talks with Dwayne Bravo, Lendl Simmons, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell and Kieron Pollard to discuss their possible return to the Test team.

“I hope to sit down with them and discuss my, and the selectors’ vision for how we want West Indies to play Test cricket going forward and how they possibly fit into that. I can’t rule anybody in or out of consideration until I do so,” Simmons told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC).

Bravo and Simmons retired from Tests after not being included in the side for a long period of time, while Pollard took an “indefinite break” from first-class cricket this year. Russell admitted that he was not suited to play Test cricket and Narine has stayed away from the longest format of the game due to concerns over his bowling action.

“Obviously everybody wants to see those guys playing Test cricket for the West Indies because they are certainly good enough to play that format,” Simmons said. “I’m not aware of Bravo’s statement but I haven’t spoken to any of them since I became coach.”