Johnson Charles

Johnson Charles

Johnson Charles, a right-hand top-order batsman, elbowed his way into the West Indies ODI team in 2012 with a string of startling displays for the Windward Islands in the Caribbean Twenty20 tournament. Strongly built, with the power to muscle the ball down the ground and also swat it forcefully square of the wicket, Charles acquitted himself ably in his first few international displays against Australia, including a firm 45 in the tied third ODI in St Vincent. He had previously been part of the West Indies Twenty20 squad that faced England in September 2011. From that base Charles led his country's run-scorers in the regional T20 competition for 2011-12, and was subsequently called up to face the Australian touring team. Charles' inclusion and development was played out against the backdrop of uncertainty over Chris Gayle's possible return to the national team after a year-long absence.