West Indies Recall Kemar Roach for New Zealand Test Tour

The West Indies cricket team has announced its 15-member squad for the upcoming three-Test tour of New Zealand, scheduled from December 1 to 21, 2025. One of the major highlights of this squad is the return of experienced fast bowler Kemar Roach, who has been recalled to strengthen the team’s pace attack. The selectors made this decision because two of their key fast bowlers, Shamar Joseph and Alzarri Joseph, are currently injured and unavailable for the series.

Kemar Roach, who is 37 years old, has not played Test cricket since January, but he remains one of the most experienced bowlers in West Indies history. With 85 Test matches and 284 wickets to his name, Roach brings valuable knowledge and skill, especially when the team will be playing on New Zealand pitches that usually help fast bowlers. The conditions in New Zealand are known to favour seam and swing bowling, making pace an important part of the strategy for visiting teams. Because of this, Roach’s return is considered a timely boost.

Along with Roach, the squad also includes an exciting new face—Ojay Shields. The 29-year-old fast bowler has been selected for the first time and will make his international debut on this tour if he gets a chance to play. Shields has been impressive in domestic cricket, and the selectors believe that he has the talent to perform well even in challenging overseas conditions. This tour will be a big opportunity for him to show his abilities and contribute to the team.

Miles Bascombe, the director of cricket at Cricket West Indies (CWI), explained the selection decisions. He said that New Zealand has always been a difficult place for visiting teams, mainly because of the fast and bouncy pitches. That is why the selectors focused strongly on preparing the players for these specific conditions. He mentioned that the high-performance camp held in Antigua was designed to give the players practice on surfaces similar to those they will face in New Zealand. According to him, the training was aimed at helping the bowlers adjust to pace-friendly conditions and ensuring that the batters are ready for the type of movement they will encounter.

The squad also sees the return of middle-order batter Kavem Hodge. Hodge has been recalled after showing good form, and the team hopes he will strengthen the batting lineup. However, spin bowler Khary Pierre was not selected this time. The selectors believe that spin will not play a major role in the series because New Zealand pitches usually do not offer much support for slow bowlers.

The Test series is part of the 2025–27 ICC World Test Championship. At the moment, the West Indies are at the bottom of the standings after playing five matches. On the other hand, New Zealand have not played any Test series yet in this championship cycle. This makes the upcoming matches important for both sides, as they aim to improve their positions early in the tournament.

The tour will take place across three New Zealand cities—Christchurch, Wellington, and Mount Maunganui. Each location has its own unique conditions, and the West Indies will need strong performances from both senior and young players to succeed.