England Test squad to tour West Indies 2009

Andrew Strauss (captain)
After being appointed captain for the series, he has the opportunity to shape a new England era at Test level after a career-defining pair of hundreds in Chennai before Christmas.

Tim Ambrose
He took advantage of the axe falling on Prior for last winter’s trip to New Zealand but failed to build on a maiden Test hundred there, producing nowhere near the run-return of his rival and was shorn of confidence by the second half of the 2008 summer.

James Anderson
He has enjoyed a rejuvenation as an international bowler in the past 12 months, overcoming some self-doubt to prosper with 42 wickets in nine Tests before this winter - a satisfactory ratio but one which needs to be built upon at a crucial time in his career.

Ian Bell
Struggling for form more than four years after his Test debut, the Warwickshire batsman responded to pressure for his place with a career-best 199 against South Africa in the summer.

Ravi Bopara
Bopara was drafted in from the England Lions squad as cover for the injured Andrew Flintoff. The Essex all-rounder previously won three Test caps in the December 2007 tour of Sri Lanka and is fairly established in England’s one-day side.

Stuart Broad
With three half-centuries to his name already, the Nottinghamshire youngster promises to develop into a genuine international-class all-rounder if he can up his levels of success with the ball in hand.

Paul Collingwood
A born fighter, the former England one-day captain responded to the axe last summer, after more than two years in the side, with two hundreds in his next three appearances and will be one of the men Strauss relies on for on-field support.

Alastair Cook
He notched seven Test hundreds before his 23rd birthday - a feat bettered only by the eight of both Sir Donald Bradman and Sachin Tendulkar - including one on debut in Nagpur but has failed to add one in more than a year and needs to start converting his regular fifties.

Steve Davies
The young wicketkeeper is being given his first taste of international cricket, following several winters as part of the England Performance Programme and featuring for the England Lions on many occasions. He is predominantly in as cover for Tim Ambrose, with Matt Prior going home on paternity leave.

Andrew Flintoff
He showed signs in India of getting back to his very best following four ankle operations, a timely reminder of his worth as England begin a hectic 2009 which includes the first home Ashes since the history-changing series of four years ago.

Steve Harmison
He has a point to prove after being dropped for the second Test against India. The world’s former number one bowler is in the perfect environment to rekindle good memories as it was the Caribbean tour of 2004 which catapulted him to the top.

Amjad Khan
The Kent seamer was called up from the England Lions squad as cover for the injured Flintoff, having also been drafted in during England’s tour of India. He has overcome a serious knee injury in the winter of 2006/07 and continues to impress.

Monty Panesar
He has been established as England’s first-choice spinner since the end of the 2006-07 Ashes but has failed to make the transition from Test new boy to established international bowler and a failure to progress has put his position under threat for the first time.

Kevin Pietersen
How he reacts to returning to the ranks after his five-month captaincy tenure will be important to England’s longer-term prospects but no player in the squad rises to a challenge quite like the irrepressible Pietersen.

Matt Prior
The wicketkeeper travels to the Caribbean as first choice behind the stumps following his return to the side in India, where his satisfactory glovework was backed up by a good supply of runs at number seven.

Adil Rashid
With leg-spinners such a rare breed, it is inevitable a good one is fast-tracked through the levels in any system and England have been impressed enough to retain Rashid after his call-up for the tour of India.

Owais Shah
He fought the effects of cramp on debut to hit a match-shaping 88 in the Mumbai win over India two-and-a-half years ago, but has made only one appearance since and if he is to break into the side then there can be no stronger case for him than now.

Ryan Sidebottom
A prolific second life as an international cricketer has delivered 76 wickets in 17 Tests but injury niggles resulted in England’s reigning player of the year being sidelined in late summer and breaking down again upon his winter comeback.

Graeme Swann
His performances in the series in India have put pressure on Monty Panesar’s possession of the first-choice spinner’s position and having made a belated entrance to Test cricket, Swann has the personality to enjoy the tussle and superior batting and fielding to win it.

Bopara and Khan were added to the squad on February 19 as cover for Flintoff.

Davies was added to the squad on February 23 as cover for Prior.