Hetmyer has been excluded from both the ODI and T20I squads for the West Indies’ upcoming series against Australia. This decision follows his omission from the team against England late last year. Jason Holder and Kyle Mayers are included in the T20I squad after opting out of the Test tour for T20 franchise contracts.

Notably absent from the ODI squad are Holder and Mayers, with batters Brandon King and Sherfane Rutherford allowed to participate in franchise cricket before rejoining for the T20Is. The ODI team, led by Shai Hope, features potential debutants Teddy Bishop and Tevin Imlach. Allrounders Justin Greaves and Kavem Hodge make a return, along with legspinner Hayden Walsh Jr.

Hetmyer, who struggled against England, averaging 32.23 in ODIs, has been left out. The ODI series, scheduled for February 2, 4, and 6, will be followed by the T20Is on February 9, 11, and 13. West Indies aims to build on their recent successes and improve in preparation for the upcoming T20 World Cup, where they are the hosts. Australia’s ODI squad will be captained by Steven Smith, while the T20I squad is yet to be announced but is expected to include David Warner.

Warner retired from Test cricket after the last match against Pakistan in Sydney, ending his 12-year stint as a top-order batsman. Initially, Bancroft, Harris, and Renshaw were considered for the opening role, but Smith expressed his interest last week.

Chief selector George Bailey announced, “Steve Smith will open, and Cameron Green will bat at number four. Steve is motivated and eager for the challenge. It’s something he believes he can do, and it fits our team.”

Green, who was temporarily sidelined by Mitchell Marsh’s excellent performance as an all-rounder, will return primarily as a batsman. Shifting Smith up the order allows selectors to utilize Green’s batting skills.

Renshaw, the only change in the 13-man squad for the upcoming two-Test series, got a Test lifeline. Bancroft and Harris were left out, a setback for Bancroft, the leading run-scorer in Sheffield Shield over the last two seasons.

The pace trio of Cummins, Hazlewood, and Starc, who played all three Tests against Pakistan, might face workload management challenges. If needed, Boland will step in.

The ODI squad for the West Indies series sees Cummins rested, and Smith taking over as captain. Marsh, Starc, and Hazlewood will also sit out the ODIs.

Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (capt),  Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja,  Nathan Lyon,Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Matt Renshaw, Josh Hazlewood, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc,Scott Boland,.

Australia ODI squad: Steve Smith (capt), Sean Abbott, Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis, Aaron Hardie, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Adam Zampa,Glenn Maxwell, Lance Morris, Jhye Richardson, Travis Head, Matt Short.

England scored 267 for three in their 20 overs at the Brian Lara Academy, led by Salt’s aggressive play and half-centuries from skipper Jos Buttler and Liam Livingstone. This was the second-highest innings score in a match between full member nations. Despite West Indies making a fast start, they lost wickets quickly and were bowled out for 192 in 15.3 overs.

Salt, who had an unbeaten ton in the previous game, continued his impressive form, contributing to the opening partnership of 117 with skipper Jos Buttler. Buttler scored 55 before being caught by West Indies captain Rovman Powell off Jason Holder. Will Jacks and Liam Livingstone further maintained the momentum with quick partnerships.

Salt, who hit ten sixes and seven fours, was finally bowled by Andre Russell in the penultimate over. In the West Indies reply, Brandon King was removed with the first ball, and despite Nicholas Pooran’s quick 20, wickets kept falling. Andre Russell’s powerful 51 off 25 balls included five sixes, but England secured the win when Russell was caught by Harry Brook off Topley.

Russell made a stunning comeback after two years, leading West Indies to an easy victory at Kensington Oval. With three wickets for 19 runs in four overs, the 35-year-old played a crucial role in bowling out England for 171. Despite a mid-innings wobble, Russell, along with captain Rovman Powell, secured the win with a quick 29 not out. Russell’s exceptional innings of 14 balls, featuring two fours and two sixes, sealed the victory with a sublime shot over backward point. West Indies hit a total of 14 sixes in the match, including two impressive shots from opener Kyle Mayers.

“Life is so funny,” man-of-the-match Russell said.

“Since when I got selected for the West Indies team I’ve been dreaming for two weeks now — and I was dreaming of being man of the match.”

Jos Buttler, the England captain, regretted his team’s missed opportunity to capitalize on a solid beginning to their innings, highlighted by a 77-run opening partnership.

“From the position we were in, we were looking for a score of 200,” said Buttler, who scored 39 while fellow opener Phil Salt put on a stylish 40 off 20 balls.

“We want to keep pushing the boundaries and trying to be as positive as we can.

“But it’s about finding ways to keep scoring in that manner, getting those extra 20, 25 runs in an unfashionable way.”

The next match in the series is in Grenada on Thursday.

Summary of scores:

England: 171 all out in 19.3 overs (P. Salt 40, J. Buttler 39, L. Livingstone 27; A. Russell 3-19, A. Joseph 3-54)

West Indies 172-6: (K. Mayers 35, S. Hope 36, R. Powell 31 not out, A. Russell 29 not out; R. Ahmed 3-39, A. Rashid 2-25)

Outcome: West Indies win by four wickets

Series Standing: West Indies lead the five-match series 1-0.

Russell’s last time playing for the West Indies was in 2021 at the T20 World Cup in the UAE and Oman. Known for his T20 expertise, Russell has an impressive record, scoring nearly 8000 runs at a striking rate of 167 and taking over 400 wickets in T20 matches. Matthew Forde earns his spot in the squad after standing out in recent ODI series against England, and Sherfane Rutherford gets a call-up to highlight the team’s focus on emerging talent. Spinner Gudakesh Motie returns after recovering from an injury during the India Series.

These additions bring depth and dynamism to the West Indies squad as they prepare to face England in the upcoming T20I series. The West Indies won a 3-2 T20I series against India in August, but for the England series, players like Johnson Charles, Obed McCoy, Odean Smith, and Oshane Thomas, who played in the successful series, are left out.

Shai Hope is named vice-captain of the T20I team under captain Rovman Powell, adding to his role as captain of the West Indies ODI team. Adjustments to the squad may happen before the fourth and fifth T20Is in Trinidad on December 19 and 21.

West Indies Squad:

Rovman Powell (Captain),Shai Hope (Vice-Captain),Jason Holder,Shimron Hetmyer,Kyle Mayers,Romario Shepherd,Brandon King,Brandon Kingn,Matthew Forde,Roston Chase,Akeal Hosein,Alzarri Joseph,Gudakesh Motie,Sherfane Rutherford,Andre Russell.

West Indies vs. England T20I Series Schedule:

1st T20I: December 12, Kensington Oval, Barbados
2nd T20I: December 14, National Stadium, Grenada
3rd T20I: December 16, National Stadium, Grenada
4th T20I: December 19, Brian Lara Academy, Trinidad
5th T20I: December 21, Brian Lara Academy, Trinidad

The home captain set a challenging target of 326 for the visitors. During a tense period, the captain steadied the effort and then finished strongly with three sixes off Sam Curran in the penultimate over, securing an unbeaten 109 and winning the match. This performance surpassed the previous record of 276 by the West Indies against Sri Lanka in 2021 as the highest successful run-chase in an ODI at the venue.Shai Hope was named “Man of the Match” for his innings of 83 deliveries, featuring seven sixes and four fours. Shepherd also played a vital role, scoring 48 off 28 balls in a partnership that helped the West Indies get back into the match.

Hope stressed that his priority is winning matches over individual stats, and he credited Shepherd for making a significant contribution.. Despite Alick Athanaze’s 66 at the top of the order and an opening stand of 104 with Brandon King, the match seemed to slip away from the West Indies at 213 for five in the 39th over.

In the England innings, Harry Brook held things together in the middle overs, but aggressive starts and finishes lifted them to a competitive total of 325 all out. Phil Salt and Will Jacks opened with a rapid 77 at almost 10 runs per over. The West Indies bowlers then slowed the scoring rate, but late contributions from Sam Curran and Brydon Carse boosted England’s total.

Jos Buttler praised the West Indies’ batting effort, especially Hope’s special innings with support from Shepherd. After a disappointing World Cup defense in India, England now faces a must-win situation in the second match at the same venue on Wednesday.

India’s cricketing prowess in bilateral series has been commendable, yet the Windies have given them a run for their money. A recent series loss has ignited a debate on India’s strategy, experimentation, and execution, but the emergence of young talents like Jaiswal and Tilak and the consistent performance of Kuldeep Yadav cannot be overlooked.

However, the spotlight is now on the West Indies. Despite the recent challenges, including their exclusion from the 2023 50 overs World Cup, the team has shown a resurgence in the T20 format. With the next T20I World Cup hosted in their backyard, the Caribbean side has sent strong signals of their intent to entertain and succeed.

Under the guidance of Sammy, there are positive signs emerging for the Windies. Key players like Nicholas Pooran, Romario Shepherd, and Joseph have been instrumental in the team’s successes. Rovman Powell’s leadership and the tactical acumen of the coaching staff have also been a highlight.

In summary, the West Indies vs India T20 series was a closely fought contest, filled with exciting cricket, individual brilliance, and tactical mastery, leaving fans and analysts with much to ponder and look forward to in future encounters between these two sides.