 All right, bowling off this Thursday edition of the Sports Mag Zone with Cricket. On Wednesday evening, Cricket Westindez released the limited oversquads for the ongoing tour of Australia six days before the test series is set to bowl off in Adelaide. Two uncapped players, Guyanese Tevin Imlak, who is part of the test squad and 20-year-old Grenadian Teddy Bishop are in line for one-day international debuts. Here's the full ODI squad. Shea Hope captain Alzarjosef, the vice-captain, Alec Athanez, Bishop, Kasey Karnty, Rostan Chase, Matthew Ford, Justin Graves, Kevin Hodge, Imlak, Goodekesh Mote, Kieran Ottley, Ramaria Shepard, Shane Thomas, and Hayden Walsh Jr. get back into the set-up. Meanwhile, another Guyanese, the explosive left hander, Shimran Hitmar, has been admitted from both units. Here's the T20 set-up. Yeah, of course, the T20 squad captain by Rovman Powell. Joining us today is the international cricket commentator, Nikhil Utamchandani. Nikhil, welcome back to the Sportsbank Zone. Who are you doing today? Yeah, thanks, Ricardo. Great to always be back on the zone. Yeah, great. I want to start with the Shimran Hitmar discussion. He was dropped for the last few T20 matches in the England series. And before I get your thoughts, I just want to look at his numbers from 2023 and also his career numbers for the West Indies because we're of the view that on this one, Desmond Haynes has gotten it correct. So his one-day international career numbers, 50 innings, 500s, 450s, highest score of 139, over 1500 runs, averaging 32.23. And in 2023, though, averaging just 11.33 from 6 innings with a highest score of 32, just 68 runs overall. And then in T20 internationals, career-wise, 48 innings, 550s. Highest score, 81, 902 runs. We've substituted strike rate for average in the T20 format. He strikes at 118. And then in 2023, he's striking at 116 with his highest score being 61, just over 100 runs in that format and the one-half century. When we look at these numbers based on what Shimran Hitmar produced, especially in 2023, have the selectors gotten this decision right? Yeah, Ricardo, I definitely think so. And I want to start by saying, you look at that graphic that you guys just put up. The fact that he's played 51 internationals and he's been one of the highest averaging West Indies batters, they think back to that India tour in 2019. Even the England series, when he scored a gutsy 100 as a 21-year-old. For those reasons, I'm a massive Shimran Hitmar fan and I still believe he has a lot to contribute to West Indies cricket because of his ability against spin. Because of just what we've seen from back in the end of 19 World Cup to his international years, but it's clear that that break from international cricket and where he only played French cricket for about two or three years has significantly impacted his game. And also, I heard you mentioned at the top of the show and you're spot on when you say that there are many different options. You look at someone like a sure thing Rutherford, who had to wait on the sidelines to start the series. But as soon as he was given his opportunity, really grabbed it with both hands and both formats, I would say. So I would say I think it's the right decision. But I do believe that Shimran Hitmar has a lot to offer and he'll be hoping that he can use a tournament like the IPL, which will be about a month before the World Cup to really showcase to the selectors the value that he can bring in the West Indies team. Yeah, of course, I have said that, for example, a 34-year-old Darren Bravo should have been in the 50-over squad for the England series. And if he had been in that squad, I suspect he would be on his way or he would be in Australia now for the series and might even be in this 50-over squad as well. So clearly at 27 years old, I think there is still hope for Shimran Hitmar. I want to get your thoughts, though, on whether you think given this decision heading into the Australia series that the selectors would still be looking at him for this summer's World Cup. And if so, how well would he have to perform to make the World Cup squad, do you think? Well, I think it's a great question, Ricardo, and some other boards and other countries have indicated that they're going to use the high end franchise leagues because of the lack of bilateral series. So, for example, the West Indies and Australia will play their last series before the World Cup. India, for example, who are playing Afghanistan, they won't play another series before that World Cup. So England, India, some other teams have indicated that they will use the IPL, the SA-20, the PSL, all which will be before that World Cup as a chance for players to make a case and make a name for themselves. I haven't really heard any of that sort of communication from Desmond Haynes. So I actually thought about three names, Hepmeyer, Timo Paul, who I saw vote today in South Africa, playing for the Super Giants and bought a really good spell of four overs, death bowling is an area where the West Indies have lacked and he can be an asset and even someone like Obed McCoy, who also is not in the squad, but will play some franchise cricket going into that World Cup. So Desmond Haynes and his election team is going to have a decision to make. However, I think it's a good problem to have because it shows that we've got options and I think we've got a really strong nucleus of maybe 15 to 18 players in the T20 format, especially going into that World Cup. Yeah. And speaking about the T20 format, just a quick one, because you just mentioned that Kimo Paul, from your standpoint, can you really see Kimo Paul, Romaria Sheppard, Jason Holder, Andre Russell making the same T20 international squad? Well, listen, Ricardo, I think options is key for me. Death is very important and I look at the death bowling. What I think Kimo Paul has on the others and as Ari Joseph and Sheppard has improved a lot as well, the death bowling and trying to nail those Yorkers. Desmond Haynes has always spoken about how much he's rated Kimo Paul, but he's obviously been played with injuries, got that injury after the World Cup qualifiers and one after the CPL as well. So look, it's a probably far fetch at this stage, given the amount of time he's spent outside of international cricket, but it's good to see that we've got players who are outside of that international squad being able to go around the world against the best players and do well. Yeah, what about your assessment of the two players that will be making their debut for the ODI squad, that's Teddy Bishop and of course, Tevin Imlak. Well, I want to say that I'm a massive fan of this move to give Teddy Bishop this opportunity. He's been in and around the Westinies A side. He's done well. I think back to that A series against Bangladesh. But more what I saw in the Super 50, the attacking intent, he scored a 95 not out from 75 deliveries against CCC, batting at number four. And that innings resonated a lot with me because it showed me, I think, his ability to start cautiously, but really take the attack in the middle overs against the spinners. And in the area where the Westinies have traditionally struggled, really take the attack to the bowling. So for a young man 20 years old to show that sort of impetus, I think whether he plays or he doesn't play, it will do him and his confidence a world of good. And I think he deserves it. Tevin Imlak, on the other hand, I was quite surprised, but he's someone that they've invested heavily in. I look at his numbers in that domestic competition. You only got the 150 average and the 30, but the strike rate was 67. And then I look across the board, as Ricardo mentioned, Darren Bravo, even Jamar Hamilton, who's also a keeper, he averaged 50 with 450s. So it was quite surprising. I know the age difference is a bit in Imlak's favor. But clearly, he's someone that, you know, they've picked based on the eye test, who they believe they can invest in in both the test format and the one international format. So let's see if it pans out. Right, I was also really pleased to see Hayden Walsh, Junior putting in the work. And of course, getting that recall, he last represented the team in 2022. So what are we to expect from him? I know he's been doing the work because he's a player I talked to from time to time. And of course, I follow his Instagram where he's always posting when he's training. If he's not playing cricket, he's playing golf. So he has kept his fitness up to par and he has been doing the work. Yeah, I think his performances domestically really highlight that, Maria, but I'll look even deeper than the 20 wickets he took in that 50 over competition. What Hayden Walsh has, I think maybe on someone like a Yannick Carrier, who was the previous legspin in the Westinies for a couple of series, is that ability to both the googly. And I'm watching some of the world's most destructive batters. And basically, if you're not bowling that googly as a legspinner, you're becoming predictable. I think Walsh showed enough pedigree with that googly, the delivery that goes the other way. So it'll be back into the right hander or away from the left hander. For me, I think it gives him options and it's batting my or my average over 40 with the bat and strut at over 100. And then we all know his feeding ability. So really happy that he stayed the course. This is someone that we saw was player of the series in the CPL back in 2019. We all know what he's given up and he's done well against Australia in the Caribbean. This will be a new opportunity. And you never know. Leg spin is golden. We see it around the world. I'm going to challenge Ricardo and Desmond Haynes. If Hader Walsh Jr. has a good series in Australia, I don't think he's that far away from making a competitive Westinies T20 international side just because of the fact that he's boarding leg spin and that he's challenging batters. But let's see. It's a far step away. But I think you never know. You never know. Yeah, looking forward to see that. And quickly, before you leave us, Nikhil, I know Shimra Hetmayer has dominated the headlines because of his exclusion. But Yanik Karyo is another one that came as a surprise. Yeah, again, I think it basically came down to a decision of they gave Karyo that England series because Karyo had a good Super 50 himself, fixed 17 wickets behind Walsh's 20. But I think in the England series, we saw against the left hand, especially the fact that he didn't have the googly. He went for some runs. So I think Desmond Haynes is trying to survey his options maybe for that T20 World Cup, but also going forward in one international cricket. Karyo will have the opportunity to play for the cricket, play the next Super 50. And it's good to have that healthy competition, healthy environment between the two. So I think all works out in the end. And Walsh deserves this opportunity given what we've seen in the last couple of months. Yeah, Nikhil, I'm not sure if you said that you wanted to challenge me and Desmond Haynes. If that is what you said, I just want to make it abundantly clear. I actually believe there might be times during the World Cup where we could consider playing three spinners. And maybe three spinners should be in the squad. Akhil Hussain has done well. Gurekesh Moti is showing that he is a quality boulder in all formats. And maybe Hayden Walsh Jr. will be that third spinner in the squad for the World Cup. So are you challenging me on that? Well, Riccardo, actually I'll challenge you one more thing. When you were announcing the squad, I heard you say Rostan Chase's name with a lot of vigor. He's someone that I believe is a bit underrated. Listen, the West Indies, right? It's going to be a big risk when you play teams like New Zealand who have got a lot of left-handers in their top order to play two left-hand spinners. I think we need to get Chase looking. We need to have someone who can take the ball the other direction away from the left-hander. He hasn't already played in the last couple of series. He's just been on the bench. What do you have taken him on the Test Tour of Australia? No, I think Kevin Sinclair deserved that opportunity. But I think the white ball format is definite. Okay, so you're taking him as a specialist baller now? Yes, in the T20 and one international format. Okay, let me leave that there. We're out of time. Let's take a break on this West Bank zone. Nikhil, we'll catch up soon.