Father time has finally caught up with Shivnarine Chanderpaul after the veteran batsman was axed by the West Indies.
The 40-year-old was the big omission from the Windies training squad of 12 players ahead of the two Tests against Australia.
It means the left-hander’s 21-year career is effectively over after 164 Tests and 11,867 runs at 51.37, including 30 centuries.
That tally is just 86 runs short of Brian Lara’s mark of 11,953 runs as the most by a West Indian cricketer.
Despite his great record, Chanderpaul’s position in the team had come under question after a disappointing performance in the recent three-Test series against England.
Chanderpaul could only score 96 runs in the entire series and failed to pass 50.
Windies chairman of selectors Clive Lloyd, who played his final Test aged 40 in 1984 against Australia, said it was a hard but necessary decision to make.
“This was a tough decision for the selection panel to make,” Lloyd said.
“We recognise the significant contribution Chanderpaul has made to the West Indies teams over the last two decades, but we want to take this opportunity to introduce a number of young, promising players into the squad.”
The 12-man squad features 10 of those who beat England in three days earlier this month to claim a share of the spoils in that series.
Chanderpaul was the only player from that match excluded.
Veterans such as Test captain Denesh Ramdin and Marlon Samuels have been named along with young talent such as batsman Shai Hope and impressive all-rounder Jason Holder.
The squad will hold a training camp in Barbados throughout this week before the final team for the first Test against Australia is named on Friday.
Australia will take on a young West Indies Cricket Board President’s XI in a three-day tour match in Antigua from Wednesday (Thursday AM AEST)
In that team players such as Charles Brathwaite will be hoping a good display against the tourists could elevate them into the Windies Test squad.
The series begins in Dominica on June 3 with the second Test to be played in Jamaica.
Windies training squad: Devendra Bishoo, Jermaine Blackwood, Kraigg Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Shannon Gabriel, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Veerasammy Permaul, Denesh Ramdin, Kemar Roach, Marlon Samuels, Jerome Taylor.
