West Indies captain Shai Hope has been ruled out of the opening Test against Sri Lanka at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua after sustaining a left shoulder strain during training.
According to Antigua News Room, Cricket West Indies announced Wednesday that Hope suffered the injury during the team's final training session on Tuesday, the day before the series opener.
The board confirmed that the wicketkeeper-batter will miss the first Test while medical staff continue to assess the extent of the injury. "Further assessments will be conducted to determine the batter's availability for the second Test," Cricket West Indies said in a statement.
The second Test is scheduled to begin on Friday, July 3.
Hope's absence represents a significant setback for the regional side. The 31-year-old was expected to play a central role in the two-match series against Sri Lanka.
Cricket West Indies has not yet announced a replacement or confirmed who will captain the side in Hope's absence.
