Who is Shamar Joseph? 5 interesting facts about fast bowler set to debut in 1st AUS vs WI Test

Shamar Joseph will start his Test career tomorrow morning (January 17) against Australia at the Adelaide Oval. West Indies named the uncapped pace bowler in their playing XI for the first game of the two-Test series earlier today.

Joseph was a member of the West Indies squad that participated in a three-day practice match against Cricket Australia XI earlier this month. The right-arm pacer impressed the coaches by scalping two wickets in the first innings. He sent opening batter Jayden Goodwin and number three player Teague Wylie back to the dressing room.

West Indies fans have high hopes from their new fast bowler in the upcoming Test series. Before Shamar Joseph shines in the Caribbean jersey, here's a list of five things that fans should know about him.

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#1 Shamar Joseph has played only 5 first-class matches

Generally, uncapped players receive Test call-ups after they have a couple of impressive seasons in the first-class format. However, Joseph has managed to break into West Indies' Test playing XI after only five first-class appearances.

He made his FC debut on February 1, 2023 for Guyana against Barbados. Less than a year later, he is set to play his maiden Test match. Notably, Joseph has scalped 21 wickets in five first-class matches.

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#2 Shamar Joseph has a 2-year-old son, who is crazy for cricket

Joseph is 24, and he has a son, who is two years old and is crazy for cricket. Just before his Test debut, Shamar looked for a bat in Australia to gift his son.

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#3 Shamar Joseph is from Baracara

Joseph plays domestic cricket for his home team Guyana. He also represents the Guyana-based Guyana Amazon Warriors franchise in Caribbean Premier League. Not many fans would know that the pacer hails from a small village in Guyana called Baracara.

To reach Baracara, one has to take a boat trip of around 225 km up the Canje River. It would take almost two days for a person to reach the remote rural area in the Caribbean. Baracara did not have proper telephone or internet network until 2018.

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#4 Joseph has a big family

Baracara's population is just around 350, but Joseph has five brothers and three sisters. He would play tape-ball cricket in Guyana and watch video clips of Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh, who inspired him to become a fast bowler.

The fast bowler played cricket to avoid household chores as well as the task of unloading 'cabbage boats'. At times, he even used fruits like guava, lemons and limes for impromptu matches.

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#5 Shamar Joseph quit his job as a bodyguard to become a cricketer

Joseph is a father of two, and to provide for his family, he would work as a bodyguard. However, the fast bowler was more attracted towards cricket. Hence, he quit his job one day to fully shift his focus towards cricket.

Now, he has a contract from Dubai Capitals in the International League T20. Plus, he is all set to play for West Indies at the international level.