Alzarri Joseph pushes back on Daren Sammy's claim he refused Test call-up

When Cricket West Indies released the squad for the home Tests versus Pakistan, it listed Alzarri Joseph as unavailable for personal reasons. Head coach Daren Sammy subsequently told reporters that Joseph had actually declined the selection. On the Good Morning Jojo Sports Show, Joseph refuted this narrative, saying Sammy’s remarks created a false impression of his commitment.

He detailed that after a second lower-back stress fracture kept him out for nearly a year, he only returned during the Sri Lanka Test series and needed to gauge his physical readiness. Joseph stressed that his decision was driven by concerns over his body’s condition, not a lack of desire to play. He added that his professional duty is to the West Indies team, irrespective of any personal dynamics with the coach.