West Indies evolution to bring back 'Caribbean flair': Chase

Nathan Lyon cheekily coined it 'Dazball' after coach Daren Sammy and West Indies captain Roston Chase declared there would be fireworks in the first Frank Worrell Trophy Test after the hosts ushered in a new era for their red-ball side.

Chase, who will play his first Test in more than two years and 50th overall after being recalled as skipper for the series opener in Barbados, added he hoped the Aussies were "still hurting" from Shamar Joseph's stunning seven-wicket haul as they prepare to face the Guyanese tearaway for the first time since their Gabba miracle in January 2024.

"I hope there are some scars," Chase said on match eve at Bridgetown's Kensington Oval.

"If they're still thinking about that going out there on Wednesday (midnight Thursday AEST), that would be very good for us – that will be part of the job done for us."

The Windies XI for the first Test contains just four players from that eight-run win at the Gabba, and even less (3) from their last match against Pakistan in January, with new red-ball coach Sammy completely overhauling their playing squad in their search for improved results in the new World Test Championship cycle.

T20 blaster Brandon King will make his Test debut on Wednesday, while white-ball captain Shai Hope returns to the Test side for the first time since December 2021.

Hope, who averages 25 from 38 Tests with two centuries (both in the same match against England at Leeds in 2017), has been recalled on the back of his him limited-overs form and will take the wicketkeeping gloves for just the third time in his Test career after edging out incumbent Tevin Imlach.

Off-spinning allrounder Chase has also been a regular in the Windies ODI and T20 international sides during his Test absence, with both of those teams mentored by Sammy since mid-2023, who in April was installed as head coach for all formats.

Sammy, a two-time World Cup-winning captain, has also recalled opener batter John Campbell after three years in the Test wilderness with the left-hander's hitting three tons in Caribbean first-class cricket this year.

Lyon told the Unplayable Podcast ahead of the first Test that he had been struggling to recognise his opponents during the build up as a result of the transition in their squad since their last tour of Australia.

"There's a lot of changes," the veteran off-spinner said. "I've been walking around scratching my head here at the hotel going, 'I haven't come across this guy or that guy'.

"It's going to be a totally different squad to what we faced back in Australia a couple years ago.

"But the addition of Shai Hope, he's an exceptional cricketer and unbelievable batter, so he's going to provide a different challenge, and obviously under new leadership, with Chase and (Jomel) Warrican's their vice-captain, so it's going to be a totally different squad that we come across.

"If we control our preparation, then we'll play what's out in front of us and problem solve as quick as we can."

West Indies had the lowest strike rate, second lowest combined batting average and equal fewest centuries scored (2) during the last Test Championship cycle and Chase vowed his side would bring a more positive style over the next two-year period.

"Recently, the Test game has evolved a lot, and guys are trying to move the game forward," he said.

"You can expect positive cricket from us. We're looking to play with a bit more flair and bring back that Caribbean style to the game, and we're looking forward to making the Caribbean nation proud.

"It's still Test cricket, so you still have to have some type of patience, so it'll (be on) the guys to mix their aggression with that patience."

After beating Pakistan in Multan in their last match of the last WTC cycle to lift themselves off the bottom of the standings, Chase said they were setting their sights on gradual improvements.

"We wanted to be realistic in the goals that we set going forward," he said.

"Right now, we are eighth and we don't want to set goals that are beyond our reach.

"We said if we could finish between fourth and sixth; we have 14 games in this cycle, so if we could win 44 per cent of those games, that will put us in a position at the end of the cycle to be around fourth or sixth looking at the (percentage) points that have been (accumulated) over the past two cycles.

"It's a new era and a fresh start and a new World Test Championship cycle. My first time as captain, and Sammy's first time being coach of the Test team.

"Hopefully we can bring some new energy and turn it around. We've been in the bottom half of the table for a number of years now, so we really looking to change that and see if we can make a change in West Indies cricket for the better."

Qantas Tour of the West Indies

First Test: June 25-29, Bridgetown, Barbados (midnight AEST)

Second Test: July 3-7, St George's, Grenada (midnight AEST)

Third Test: July 12-16, Kingston, Jamaica (4.30am AEST)

Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster

West Indies Test squad: Roston Chase (c), Jomel Warrican (vc), Kevlon Anderson, Kraigg Brathwaite, John Campbell, Keacy Carty, Justin Greaves, Shai Hope, Tevin Imlach, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Johann Layne, Mikyle Louis, Anderson Phillip, Jayden Seales

First T20I: July 20, Kingston, Jamaica (July 21, 11am AEST)

Second T20I: July 22, Kingston, Jamaica (July 23, 11am AEST)

Third T20I: July 25, Basseterre, St Kitts (July 26, 9am AEST)

Fourth T20I: July 26, Basseterre, St Kitts (July 27, 9am AEST)

Fifth T20I: July 28, Basseterre, St Kitts (July 29, 9am AEST)

West Indies T20 squad: TBC

Australia's T20 squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Ben Dwarshius, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Matt Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Mitch Owen, Matthew Short, Adam Zampa