WI squad for the tour of India announced

Batsman Marlon Samuels and fast bowler Jermaine Lawson were named in a 16-man West Indies squad for the tour of India next month on Monday.

The 22-year-old Samuels only recently returned to action with Jamaica following a knee operation in February, after first complaining of the injury during the series against Pakistan in Sharjah.

Surgery meant he had to miss the series against Pakistan, as well as the home series against India and New Zealand.

Lawson, part of the squad that went to Sri Lanka last year, helped Jamaica reach the final of the domestic Caribbean series this season where they lost to Barbados.

The West Indies will play three Tests at Mumbai (October 9 to 13), Chennai (October 17 to 21) and Kolkata (October 30 to November 3), as well as seven limited-overs internationals.

Earlier this year, West Indies beat India 2-1 in a best-of-five home series, but went down 1-2 in the rain-affected limited-overs international series.

This will be West Indies' ninth tour of India, where they have only lost once on the 1978-79 visit when Sunil Gavaskar's side prevailed over Alvin Kallicharran's tourists.

West Indies team:
Carl Hooper (captain), Gareth Breese, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Pedro Collins, Cameron Cuffy, Mervyn Dillon, Chris Gayle, Ryan Hinds, Wavell Hinds, Ridley Jacobs, Brian Lara, Jermaine Lawson, Mahendra Nagamootoo, Darren Powell, Marlon Samuels, Ramnaresh Sarwan.

Schedule (main matches)

Oct 9-13: First Test, Mumbai Oct 17-21: Second Test, Chennai Oct 30-Nov 3: Third Test, Kolkata Nov 6: First limited-overs international, Jamshedpur Nov 9: Second limited-overs international, Nagpur Nov 12: Third limited-overs international, Rajkot Nov 15: Fourth limited-overs international (d/n), Ahmedabad Nov 18: Fifth limited-overs international, Baroda Nov 21: Sixth limited-overs international, Jodhpur Nov 26: Seventh limited-overs international, Vishakhaptnam.