Cricket West Indies is pinning hopes of a third T20 World Cup title on Andre Russell and Sunil Narine, said board CEO Johnny Grave, who confirmed that both players remain important part of Calypso Kings' planning towards the big event this October in Australia.
The duo hasn't represented West Indies at the highest level since last year; while Russell hasn't turned up internationally post the 50-over World Cup in the UK, Narine last played in the regional maroons in August in a T20I in Guyana.
However, the new CWI regime, more open to players' choices, has asked Russell to go through a fitness test in order to soon draft him back and is also keeping a close eye on Narine as he continues to work on his action.
"So he (Russell) will go through a fitness test to see how his knees have recovered from the injuries that he suffered and allowing us to see if he would be passed fit medically – which is the first stage – and injury-free in terms of his ability to both bat and bowl," sportsmax.tv quoted Grave as saying.
"He would then build up his fitness levels and hopefully through performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL) make himself available for selection for the West Indies."
Russell and Narine, teammates at the Kolkata Knight Riders, would be hoping to rejoin the West Indies squad on the back of strong performances during this year's edition of the Indian Premier League.
“He (Narine) is obviously been a player that has been a fantastic servant and player for West Indies, particularly in white-ball cricket, but at this stage, Sunil is still working on his action," Grave said on the off-spinner.
"He obviously had the finger injury which took him out and made him struggle to bowl, and we’re hoping that he’s going to be fully fit … and be able to bowl his full portfolio of deliveries for the IPL and then fingers crossed, from the West Indies point of view, all goes well and he can follow that through into the CPL and hopefully be in form and be available for the World Cup."
(Inputs from sportsmax.tv)
