Picking a Combined West Indies-England Test Side

A trip to the Caribbean would seem like the perfect preparation for England ahead of a busy year ahead.

However, Alastair Cook and the rest of his squad are not in the West Indies to get some rest and relaxation before playing 17 Tests in the next nine months.

They face their hosts in a three-Test series, with the back-to-back fixtures getting underway in Antigua on April 13.

Ahead of the opening Test, we have picked a combined XI from the two teams.

Just to clarify, only players who are set to actually feature during the series were considered for selection.

To that extent, Chris Gayle (who would have filled one of the opening berths) and Kevin Pietersen—who is set to begin his bid to earn an England recall in domestic action for Surrey—were not chosen.

Sulieman Benn, Darren Bravo, Jos Buttler and Jerome Taylor can feel a little aggrieved not to have made the cut, but there were only 11 spaces available.

Feel free to offer your own XI by using the comments section.

1. Alastair Cook (England)

Eranga Jayawardena/Associated Press

Tests: 109

Batting average: 46.02

England captain Alastair Cook has not managed to hit a Test century since May 2013.

However, despite the lean run in recent times, the left-handed opener still has an outstanding record in the longest form of the game.

He sits third on the all-time list of run scorers for England, while no Englishman has managed more than his 25 hundreds.

Cook—who was axed as captain of the one-day side just before the World Cup—will hope the tour to the Caribbean can be the start of a successful 12 months, both for himself and his team.

2. Kraigg Brathwaite (West Indies)

Themba Hadebe/Associated Press

Tests: 17

Batting average: 37.96

With Chris Gayle away playing in the Indian Premier League, there was no clear-cut option to open the batting alongside Cook.

Kraigg Brathwaite gets the nod having shown so far in his 17 Test appearances that he has the talent and the temperament to be successful at the highest level.

The right-hander has hit tons on three occasions already, including a superb knock of 212 against Bangladesh last September.

At 22, Brathwaite is a promising young player who West Indies are looking to make a bedrock of their side. He has been named vice-captain for the series against England.

3. Jonathan Trott (England)

Rick Rycroft/Associated Press

Tests: 49

Batting average: 46.45

Jonathan Trott looks set to make his return to the England team in the Caribbean.

The South Africa-born batsman has not featured in international cricket since leaving the 2013/14 Ashes tour of Australia due to a stress-related illness.

Trott—who scored three centuries in eight LV= County Championship fixtures last season after making a comeback with Warwickshire—has an outstanding Test record.

But, while the bulk of his runs previously came batting at three in England's order, the 33-year-old could be recalled to open the innings alongside Alastair Cook.

4. Ian Bell (England)

Rui Vieira/Associated Press

Tests: 105

Batting average: 45.00

There are few players in Test cricket who are more enjoyable to watch at the crease than Ian Bell.

The Warwickshire right-hander has already scored 21 hundreds for England, though only one of those has come against West Indies.

He will be eager to impress in the Caribbean, considering the last time he toured there in 2009 he was dropped after the tourists were bowled out for 51 in the second innings of the first Test.

Bell would be a reliable presence in any team's middle order around the world.

5. Joe Root (England)

Matt Dunham/Associated Press

Tests: 22

Batting average: 50.94

Joe Root enjoyed an outstanding year in 2014, scoring 777 Test runs at an average of 97.12.

At the age of just 24, he is already a key member of England's team in all formats. He is also being tipped by many—including Sky Sports commentator David Lloyd—to be a future captain.

The Yorkshireman has made five Test hundreds, all but one of them coming when he has batted at five in the order.

Root also hit a century against West Indies in a one-dayer in the Caribbean last year, despite suffering a broken thumb early on in his innings.

6. Shivnarine Chanderpaul (West Indies)

Arnulfo Franco/Associated Press

Tests: 161

Batting average: 52.33

Despite now being 40, Shivnarine Chanderpaul shows no sign of losing his hunger to score runs.

The left-hander has an unorthodox technique, yet it has proven to be extremely effective during a Test career that has now spanned over 20 years.

By his own lofty standards, Chanderpaul had a lean time of it during West Indies' tour of South Africa. He made just 91 runs in five innings in a 2-0 defeat.

However, the veteran batsman has scored 30 centuries in Tests and could overtake Brian Lara as West Indies' leading run scorer during the series against England.

7. Moeen Ali (England)

Matt Dunham/Associated Press

Tests: 7

Batting average: 31.77

Bowling average: 28.09

Moeen Ali is not just a frontline spinner for England—he is also a fine batsman who already has a Test hundred to his name.

The Worcestershire all-rounder made an unbeaten 108 against Sri Lanka in just his second appearance, albeit that his score at Headingley ended up being in a losing cause.

His off-spin blossomed with each Test he played during the 2014 summer, and he picked up 19 wickets in the series against India.

Moeen will miss the first Test of the series due to a side strain. However, per George Dobell of ESPN Cricinfo, he hopes to join up with the rest of the squad for the games in Grenada and Barbados.

8. Denesh Ramdin (West Indies)

Arnulfo Franco/Associated Press

Tests: 64

Batting average: 26.70

Denesh Ramdin is a man with plenty on his plate, considering he is not only West Indies' wicketkeeper but also their Test captain.

The 30-year-old has made four hundreds with the bat in the longest format, with two of his three-figure scores coming against England.

He has won three of his eight matches since taking over as skipper from Darren Sammy last May, though his side were beaten 2-0 in South Africa.

Ramdin gets the nod for the combined XI just ahead of fellow gloveman Jos Buttler, with the Englishman only at the start of his Test career.

9. Stuart Broad (England)

Kirsty Wigglesworth/Associated Press

Tests: 74

Batting average: 24.09

Bowling average: 29.90

Stuart Broad has taken 264 Test wickets, leaving him in sixth place on England's all-time list.

The seamer made his debut back in 2007 and would have appeared in more games by now had it not been for a series of injuries.

The son of former England batsman Chris Broad, the 28-year-old has previously captained his country in Twenty20 cricket and has hit a Test century with the bat.

Tall enough to get any extra bounce out of a surface and certainly quick enough to keep the best players honest, Broad is a fierce competitor who has produced some magical spells in his career.

10. Kemar Roach (West Indies)

Themba Hadebe/Associated Press

Tests: 29

Bowling average: 25.98

In their halcyon days, West Indies used to have a conveyor belt of fast bowlers to terrorise opposing batsmen. Now, however, the cupboard is a little bare.

Kemar Roach is the exception in the current team; short in stature but seriously quick, he takes a wicket in Test cricket every 49.9 deliveries.

The issue in his career has been injuries. Ankle problems hampered him on the tour of South Africa, and he did not look at his best during the recent World Cup.

England, however, will be wary that Roach is a much better bowler on home turf. He has picked up 83 wickets at an average of 21.69 in games played in the Caribbean.

11. James Anderson (England)

Matt Dunham/Associated Press

Tests: 99

Bowling average: 29.72

The series against West Indies will give James Anderson the chance to record two huge personal landmarks.

The Lancashire bowler will win his 100th Test cap when, barring an injury, he lines up in England's side for the first match in Antigua.

He also needs just four more wickets added to his current tally of 380 to go beyond Sir Ian Botham and become his country's leading wicket-taker.

A skilful swing bowler who can move the ball both ways, Anderson is the spearhead of England's attack and is currently ranked fourth in the world in the ICC Test rankings.