Narine called up for Test series against New Zealand

St. John’s (Antigua) : Off-spinner Sunil Narine has been asked to join the West Indies squad in New Zealand for the three-Test series next month, the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) announced.

Narine has played five Tests, including two against the New Zealanders.

His inclusion came after offspinner Shane Shillingford and part-time spinner Marlon Samuels were reported for suspect actions during West Indies’ recent tour of India, reports CMC.

Match officials have raised concerns about Samuels’ faster ball and Shillingford’s doosra.

A WICB statement said here Thursday that the two players are headed to Perth, Western Australia, with West Indies head coach Ottis Gibson for independent testing.

However, Shillingford and Samuels are eligible to play in the first Test, starting in Dunedin Tuesday, as they are cleared to play until the independent testing results have been submitted to the sport’s world governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC).

The two are expected to rejoin the squad at the weekend.

Kraigg Brathwaite, who was named in the West Indies Test squad as replacement for the injured Chris Gayle is waiting for the New Zealand visa and a transit visa to Australia.