ST JOHN'S, Antigua (CMC):

Opener Kraigg Brathwaite is likely to be called up to the West Indies squad as cover for Chris Gayle, as injury worries persist over the talismanic left-hander.

The 21-year-old Brathwaite has trained with the West Indies squad for the last few days of their camp in Barbados and was yesterday conspicuously excluded from the 13-member West Indies High Performance Centre squad to face Bangladesh A in the second four-day Test starting today.

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CMC Sports also understands that Brathwaite, who stroked 164 against Bangladesh A in the first Test last week, is also expected to travel with the Windies squad to Jamaica on Wednesday, ahead of the first Test which bowls off at Sabina Park next Sunday.

The Barbadian right-hander has played ten Tests since making his debut as a teenager three years ago.

Gayle, meanwhile, has been hampered by a back injury in recent weeks that resulted in his poor form during the recent Indian Premier League. He said in an interview last week that he would consult a specialist in Germany about the injury.