Alzarri Joseph has responded to head coach Daren Sammy’s comments about his absence from the Test squad, saying they lacked important context and gave a misleading picture of his commitment to West Indies.
The disagreement
When the squad was named, Cricket West Indies said Joseph was unavailable for personal reasons. Before the first Test, however, Sammy said the fast bowler had been selected but chose not to play. Joseph told ESPNcricinfo that he had spoken to both Sammy and CWI before the announcement. He pointed out that Sammy, who has been around for a long time, knew what the personal reasons wording would do, and said he had nothing to say about Sammy’s statement. In his view it pushed a narrative in public that was unfair.
Fitness was the issue
Joseph explained that his decision was purely about fitness. He spent almost a year recovering from a second stress fracture and has only just returned to international cricket. After five ODIs in a row against New Zealand, he felt his body was not ready for another Test series, and he said he had not played at international intensity for a long time. Medical discussions and workload management also played a part, as the two Tests were due straight after those matches, and he called the statement controversial without that context.
Commitment unchanged
Despite the public row, Joseph said his commitment is unchanged. He described himself as a professional who will go to work, and said he represents West Indies rather than Sammy, so his relationship with the coach is neither here nor there.
His remarks add to the debate over his absence, with the pacer insisting it came down to fitness and not a refusal to play for his region.
