Take a closer look at the West Indies

Devendra Bishoo – Leg-spinner
Age: 30
Made his Test debut in 2011 against Pakistan in Guyana and has since played 14 more Tests for a total of 55 wickets at 38.05. Claimed career-best figures of 6-80 against Australia in June, bamboozling Brad Haddin with his version of Shane Warne's 'ball of the century'. On Australian pitches a leg-spinner is gold, but young left-arm orthodox Jomel Warrican could be the frontrunner after a stunning Test debut in Sri Lanka.

Jermaine Blackwood – Batsman
Age: 24
A steady start to his Test career ignited in April with a maiden Test century batting at No.6 against England in Antigua. The right-hander averages 41.5 at fourth-drop despite a lean series against Australia in June, which yielded only one half-century. An impressive 92 following-on in Galle was in vain as the Windies lost the match by an innings and six runs.

Richie Richardson says: "Young Jermaine Blackwood has got a lot of ability, a lot of talent. He's very aggressive. If he can curb his aggression a little bit I think he can also make an impact."

Kraigg Brathwaite – Opening batsman
Age: 23
An accomplished batsman with four Test hundreds and highest score of 212, Brathwaite stole headlines in October with his deeds with the ball rather than with the bat. The off-spinner claimed 6-29 from 11.3 overs, more than doubling his first-class wicket tally in the process. A strike rate of 41.90 runs per 100 balls faced underlines his patience at the crease. A 186-ball 106 against Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander highlights his class as a top-order player.

Richie Richardson says: "As an opener, he has the ability to bat for long periods. We've been having some talks recently and he's realised that just staying there ... you need to step out at some stage rather than just bat for long periods. You've got to dominate bowlers after a period of time and he's shown signs of doing that in recent times. If he can dig in and get some confidence back and at the top of the order, he can give us some good starts and get a couple of centuries."

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Brathwaite is a key wicket at the top of the order // Getty

Carlos Brathwaite – Allrounder
Age: 27
Yet to make his Test debut, Brathwaite has played seven one-day internationals in four years with only three wickets to show for his efforts. A tall man with an upright action and strong front left-arm, Brathwaite could be used as an impact bowler on the expected docile wickets in Hobart, Melbourne and Sydney.

Darren Bravo – Batsman
Age: 26
The class batsman of the group, Bravo's flashy technique has drawn comparisons with the great Brian Lara, who also happens to be his cousin. The dashing left-hander burst out of the gates at Test level, scoring three half-centuries on the trot before reaching three-figures in his 10th Test; a wonderful 195 against Bangladesh in Dhaka. Bravo has added five more centuries to that total hence, but hasn't reached the milestone in more than a year.

Rajendra Chandrika – Opening batsman
Age: 26
Chandrika’s Test debut against Australia in Kingston was memorable for all the wrong reasons – he became the 40th Test cricketer to record a pair in his maiden Test match, snared both times by the red-hot pace of Mitchell Starc. The Guyanese batsman lasted a total of nine balls and 16 minutes on his debut, and was no doubt relieved to see Starc ruled out of this Test series. He is no mug with the bat however, and scored 74 against the Australians in a warm-up match in the Caribbean, but put his Test pair down to an eagerness to get off the mark and rash shot selection.

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Chandrika had a debut to forget against Australia in June // Getty

Shane Dowrich – Wicketkeeper-batsman
Age: 24
Listed as a wicketkeeper, Dowrich made his Test debut as a middle-order batsmen and outfielder against Australia in Dominica. Solid, sturdy and dependable in the two Tests against the Australians in June, he acquitted himself well, showing a solid technique. Dropped for the Windies series against Sri Lanka in October, he has a good first-class record and a batting average of 37 for a gloveman is respectable. He frustrated the Australians for 70 runs in the second innings of his debut Test in Dominica and put a high price on his wicket. Will no doubt improve the more he plays and is not one to be underestimated.

Shannon Gabriel – Fast-bowler
Age: 27
A fast man who can be enigmatic, but also rather erratic. Could be a new-ball option for the West Indies but hasn’t been trusted to step up into a leadership role yet. David Warner took to him in Dominica and he missed the Jamaica Test with illness. In 15 Tests he has a best return of 3-10 against Zimbabwe. His first visit to Australia, Gabriel struggled badly on the New Zealand tour in 2013 and was expensive in South African conditions earlier this year. If he gets a friendly pitch he could prove a handful, but without assistance could be made to suffer.

Jason Holder – Allrounder
Age: 24
Standing at two metres tall, Holder's colossal frame evokes memories of the giant West Indies fast bowlers that conquered the globe decades ago. While he matches the towering former greats in height, the lightning speed isn't quite the same just yet. In only his second series as captain, and with only 10 Tests under his belt, Holder is light on experience but makes up in raw, athletic ability, and can hit the ball a long, long way.

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Holder will swing hard in the lower order for the Windies // Getty

Shai Hope – Batsman
Age: 22
A future prospect playing today, Hope made his Test debut against England in May after only 14 first-class matches. Opening alongside Kraigg Brathwaite, Hope made 5 and 9 on debut before backing it up with two Tests each against Australia (home) and Sri Lanka (away) but is yet to reach 50. Up against a new-look Australian pace attack, Hope could flourish on the true pitches Down Under.

Denesh Ramdin – Wicketkeeper
Age: 30
The most experienced player in the young Windies squad, Ramdin will be called upon to pass wisdom, provide resistance in the lower order and pounce on any opportunity when behind the stumps. Not only is the right-hander an accomplished gloveman, Ramdin has scored four Test centuries and succeeded Darren Sammy as Test captain last year before Holder took the reins.

Kemar Roach – Fast bowler
Age: 27
When Roach roared on his first tour of Australia in 2009 and struck captain Ricky Ponting on the forearm, forcing the skipper to retire hurt, the world thought a new Windies fast bowling great was born. While he might not have reached the heights, both in stature and success, of his predecessors, Roach has consistently taken wickets throughout his 34-Test career. With genuine pace comes genuine fear, and in concert with Taylor and Holder, the speedster could ruffle some feathers this summer.

Richie Richardson says: "If he can get his rhythm right I think he can really, really make an impact on this tour. Early in his career he used to bowl a lot of inswingers now he's learned to get the ball to go away, so he's got both. If he gets it right I think he can make a difference."

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Roach will provide plenty of support for striker weapon Jerome Taylor // Getty

Marlon Samuels – Batsman
Age: 34
Controversial but super talented, Samuels debuted 15 years ago in Adelaide and has played just 61 Tests in that time. Suspension, form and injury have seen the right-hander in and out of the West Indies Test XI, scoring seven centuries along the journey. To Australian fans he might be best remembered for a run-in with legendary spinner Shane Warne during the KFC Big Bash League three summers' ago.

Jerome Taylor – Fast-bowler
Age: 31
The Windies main strike weapon. Taylor can hit 150ph when on song, pitching the ball up looking for traditional swing away from the right-hander or reverse twang into leg-stump. The right-armer obliterated England with figures of 5-11 in 2009 in Jamaica as the tourists were skittled for 51. He claimed career-best returns of 6-47 against Australia at Sabina Park this year, trapping Steve Smith lbw with a searing yorker on 199.

Jomel Warrican – Left-arm orthodox
Age: 23
The baby of the group, Worrican has only one Test under his belt but it was a beauty. Debuting with 4-67 in the first innings against Sri Lanka in Colombo, Warrican helped restrict the hosts to 200 before his batsmen let him down in reply. A bit of mystery to the Australians, Warrican has that coveted 'X-factor' about him, so keep an eye out for him.