West Indies fast bowler Alzarri Joseph has responded strongly to head coach Daren Sammy’s comments regarding his absence from the ongoing two-match Test series against Pakistan. Joseph accused Sammy of creating an unnecessary controversy after the coach publicly stated that the pacer had declined selection, insisting that the full context behind his decision was never shared.

Joseph, who featured in both Tests against Sri Lanka during the Caribbean side’s home series in June and July 2026, revealed that he had already discussed his situation with both Sammy and Cricket West Indies (CWI). He pointed out that the official CWI statement cited “personal reasons” for his unavailability, which, according to him, accurately reflected the understanding between all parties.

“We had a chat, myself and the head coach. I’ve also had a chat with Cricket West Indies (CWI), and if you realise, the statement CWI released said ‘personal reasons’. Mr Sammy, being around for a long time, knows exactly what that statement would have done. So, to be honest, I have nothing to say to Mr Sammy in terms of his statement,” Alzarri Joseph said on the Antigua Observer’s Good Morning Jojo Sports Show.

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“Like I said, he knows exactly what that statement would have done and the narrative it would have pushed in the public,” he added.

When Cricket West Indies announced the squad for the Pakistan Test series on July 23, the board stated that Joseph was unavailable due to personal reasons. However, a day later, Sammy told reporters that the fast bowler had declined selection after returning from injury.

Joseph has now clarified that his decision was driven entirely by workload management and fitness concerns. The 29-year-old revealed that he is still carefully managing his recovery after suffering a second stress fracture in his lower back, which kept him out of international cricket for almost a year.

“Obviously, I’ve been out for an entire year. I haven’t played at international intensity for so long after having a second stress fracture,” Alzarri Joseph explained.

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He added that after playing two Test matches against Sri Lanka and five consecutive ODIs against New Zealand, he felt his body was not ready for another demanding Test series. “We spoke about me playing the two Test matches here, playing five back-to-back ODIs and how my body was feeling, and I knew to myself that my body was not ready to go into another Test series. So, the statement in itself is controversial, without context,” Alzarri Joseph concluded.