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The hex that has firmly attached itself to the West Indies team has struck again.

Ramnaresh Sarwan, the 21-year-old Guyanese who is their finest young batsman, withdrew from the upcoming series against Pakistan in Sharjah last night with a back injury that has bothered him since the tour of Zimbabwe and Kenya last July.

The selectors hurriedly recalled Sherwin Campbell, 31, the Barbados captain, former West Indies vice-captain and opening batsman with 51 Tests to his name, to take Sarwan's place in the squad of 22 for the four-day practice match starting at the Queen's Park Oval today.

He has not played a Test since the series in Australia a year ago. Since then, he has struggled for form at both first-class and club level. But his overall experience virtually guarantees him a place in the final 16 for the two Tests and three One-Day Internationals in Sharjah from January 31 to February 18.

Sarwan's withdrawal came the day after the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) convened a special meeting of its medical panel and other specialists along with team manager Ricky Skerritt and sports therapist Ronald Rogers to review what it termed the heavy list of casualties from its most recent tours of Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka.

Five players withdrew from each, either just before or during those tours through injury or illness.

The loss of Sarwan further depletes a team already seriously undermined by the loss of its one world-class batsman, the incomparable Brian Lara. It also removes its fastest and best outfielder.

Lara was eliminated after he dislocated and fractured his left elbow in an accidental collision with Sri Lankan fielder Marvan Atapattu in a One-Dayer December 15 near the end of his personally phenomenal performance on the tour of Sri Lanka.

He is expected to return for the home series against India starting April 18.

Only Lara's remarkable return of 688 runs in the three Tests at an average of 114.66, with a double and two single hundreds, overshadowed Sarwan's 318 runs at 53.

It was Sarwan's most productive series since coming into the team with an unbeaten 84 on debut against Pakistan at Kensington Oval almost two years ago.

Batting for the first time in the pivotal No. 3 position, at his own request, the classy 21-year-old Guyanese had made a significant advance. This comes as a disappointing personal setback.

© The Barbados Nation