In preparation for their ICC World Test Championship 2025 match against England at Lord's, the West Indies have included a debutant in their XI.
Mikyle Louis, a young batter from St Kitts, will make his Test debut for the West Indies in the opening Test at Lord's, which starts on Wednesday. At 23 years old, Louis will be the first native of St Kitts to play Test cricket.
Louis has had an impressive start to his First-Class career in the Caribbean, boasting an average of 48.71 in his 14 innings for the Leeward Islands, with three centuries and four fifties. His recent form includes scores of 52, 80, 100, and 33 in his last four First-Class innings, as well as a half-century against a County Select XI leading up to the Test. Louis secured his spot in the XI over Zac McCaskie and will open the batting alongside captain Kraigg Brathwaite, who leads a relatively young team.
In the lead-up to the match, Brathwaite emphasized the need for his team to avoid complacency and urged the players to seize their opportunities. He advised the younger members, including Louis, to aim high and strive for greatness, encouraging them not to limit their ambitions.
He remarked that young players, such as Mikyle, should not merely aim to play for the West Indies but should aspire to be the first to score 30 hundreds. Brathwaite urged them to trust their plans and enjoy the experience, noting the special nature of playing in England.
The West Indies had previously made headlines by defeating Australia in Brisbane, winning by eight runs, with a standout bowling performance from Shamar Joseph. The 24-year-old took 7/68 in the second innings, bolstering a determined batting effort from his teammates.