Sunil Narine to miss out Windies` three-Test series against New Zealand next month

Johannesburg: The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has said that the national team`s spinner Sunil Narine would miss out next month`s three-Test series against New Zealand as he opted to stay with his Indian Premier League ( IPL) team.

WICB`s `Windies First Policy` reportedly required Narine to join the training camp by Sunday, which happens to be the day when his Twenty20 team, the Kolkata Knight Riders , plays the final. According to Sport24, the board`s Director of Cricket Richard Pybus said in a statement that the onus of the WICB is to protect the integrity of international cricket at all times, adding that International cricket, and specifically Test cricket, is priority and requires dedicated preparation which is integral to team success. Pybus also said that the WICB policy requires players to commit to sufficient preparation leading in to a series as part of a culture of excellence. With Narine, who has played six Tests claiming 21 wickets out of which 18 came against New Zealand, missing in action, West Indies would reportedly be forced to look at off-spinner Shane Shillingford, who is just back from a suspension for an illegal bowling action, and towering left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn. However, the WICB said that Narine would be considered for the two T20 Internationals against New Zealand in July, the report added.