John Campbell and Anderson Phillip have been called up to the West Indies squad for next month's first Test against England in Antigua after bright starts in the four-day regional competition.

John Campbell and Anderson Phillip have been called up to the West Indies squad for next month's first Test against England in Antigua after bright starts in the four-day regional competition. Campbell, the opening hitter, who is averaging 23.70 after 15 Test appearances so far, is included after scoring 127 for Jamaica against Barbados at the Kensington Oval last week.

Roston Chase, Rahkeem Cornwall, Shai Hope, Jeremy Solozano and Jomel Warrican are absent after being part of the squad that lost 2-0 in Sri Lanka in November and December last year, while Shannon Gabriel is absent with a hamstring injury, but might be fit later in the series.

Campbell, who has played 15 Tests, is also making it back based on rich form in the home circuit. The 28-year-old from Jamaica, who missed home series against South Africa and Pakistan and the subsequent tour of Sri Lanka, has had 213 runs averaging 53.25 in the current West Indies Championship most recently, including 127 against Barbados Pride.

Shamarh Brooks also comes in, having last played a Test in December 2020. He is likely to be a candidate for No 4, a position the West Indies have found a bit difficult to fill of late.

“It is important that these guys do well in the domestic season and get our attention. We're a new body, Sars [Ramnaresh Sarwan, the other selector] and I, and we want to see the players and make sure that when we judge them on their ability, they also have some runs but also play a part can do that we expect from them.

“When the team was here I had a chat with Nicholas Pooran and I said to him I think if he can make himself available for a red ball cricket it will help him a lot in batting. He acknowledged the conversation. Personally, I want to know that players who play cricket for the West Indies can play in any format of the game."

Haynes added that the inclusion of a lone front-line spinner - Veerasammy Permaul, who was recalled to the Test side in November after a six-year absence and won 5 to 35 in the first innings against Sri Lanka - was partly due to England's struggling pace attack from the West Indies Islands in their last series in the Caribbean in 2019 which they lost 1-2.

West Indies squad for first England Test: Kraigg Brathwaite (Captain), Jermaine Blackwood (Vice-Captain), Nkrumah Bonner, Shamarh Brooks, John Campbell, Joshua Da Silva, Jason Holder, Alzarri Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Veerasammy Permaul, Anderson Phillip, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales