West Indies players, including Test skipper Jason Holder, returned to training in small groups following a long hiatus due to COVID-19 pandemic. 

The training was resumed as part of the build-up towards the proposed tour of England in July. 

Apart from Holder, Kraigg Brathwaite, Shai Hope, Kemar Roach, Shane Dowrich, Shamarh Brooks and Raymon Reifer took part in the training session organised at the Kensington Oval in Barbados behind closed doors on Monday (May 25). 

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This lot of players trained under the guidance of West Indies assistant coach Roddy Estwick and other coaches from Barbados Cricket Association (BCA). 

"The initiative to get back to training has been given local Government approval, with strict protocols of social distancing, observing the guidelines as set out by the authorities and CWI’s Medical Advisory Committee and was conducted behind closed doors," reads a media release. 

"Other players across the region are expected resume training later this week as Cricket West Indies (CWI) continues dialogue with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on the proposed tour which is expected to feature three Test matches."

Discussions are ongoing between CWI and ECB over the scheduled three-match Test series in hope that the tour can be held in July with quarantine plans and other bio-secure arrangements put in place.

“Based on the information we have at the moment, everyone is getting increasingly confident that the tour will happen at some point this summer," said CWI CEO Johnny Grave. 

“Our next Board of Directors Teleconference is on May 28 and if the tour has to take place as currently planned, by the start of June, we would need to have their approval and support by then in order to get the charter flight logistics in place and select the players."

"It’s great news that the players are now able to begin their cricket training, having been restricted to fitness and conditioning work at home for the past few weeks, as we begin to prepare for defending the Wisden Trophy," he added. 

"We are in the final stages of discussions with the ECB and we expect to hear from them shortly once their bio-secure plans have UK Government and ECB Board support."