*Official* Zimbabwe vs Westindies 2 Test : Feb 04-16, 2023 at Bulawayo

[WICFan]

I'd probably controversially run with this:

1 Brathwaite
2 Chanderpaul
3 Bravo
4 Hope/Hetmyer
5 Pooran
6 Mayers
7 da Silva
8 Holder
9 Motie
10 Joseph
11 Seales/Roach/Gabriel

In a system with any depth there's no way you'd consider a 36 year old who averages 10 in the last 6 years and likes to fued with the board, two players totally uncommitted to FC cricket or a player who averages 25 after 38 Tests, but imperfect circumstances call for imperfect solutions. The other options - Bonner, Brooks, Chase, Reifer, Blackwood, Mayers as a specialist batsman, Holder in the top six - just do not have the technique, skill and/or temperament to succeed in Tests. The middle order I named has very little chance of paying off but the existing options have even less chance.

It's close to what I would have for the test xi as well, I don't think Hetmyer is at all interested in International Cricket and Pooran isn't going to be playing any red-ball cricket for the foreseeable.

1. KB
2. Tage
3. Bravo
4. King
5. Athanaze
6. Mayers/Cariah
7. JDS
8. Holder
9. Motie
10. Joseph
11. Roach/Seales