West Indies have called up Johann Layne as an injury replacement for their India Test tour. Here’s all you need to know about him.
With less than a week left before the first Test against India in Ahmedabad, Layne was called in as a last-minute injury replacement for Shamar Joseph. This was not his first call-up to the Test team, as he was also part of the West Indies’ home series against Australia in June-July. He had previously been named as an injury replacement when Matthew Forde was sidelined from the West Indies’ ODI series against Pakistan in August. However, Layne is yet to make his international debut.
Layne will join a West Indies seam arsenal comprising Jayden Seales, Anderson Phillip, and Alzarri Joseph. He is the second pace-bowling all-rounder on the India tour, after Justin Greaves.
Who is Johann Layne?
Layne, 22, is a tall, promising fast-bowling all-rounder who has impressed in his 19-match first-class career so far. Born in Barbados, he has played age-group cricket for the Caribbean island.
He starred for Barbados in youth cricket, during their title-winning 2018 West Indies Cricket Board Under-15 Tournament, taking seven wickets at an average of 13.85.
Three years later, Layne made his West Indies Under-19 debut. He had a decent outing in the 2022 U19 World Cup, taking three wickets at an average of 21.00 and an economy rate of 4.50 from two matches, although his team exited in the group stage.
In 2023, Layne picked up a five-wicket haul on his first-class debut for the West Indies Academy against Team Headley. However, it was in the next two first-class seasons – 2023-24 and 2024-25 – that he truly made his mark, taking 21 wickets at 27.23 and 27 wickets at 15.88, respectively.
Two of his most recent five-wicket hauls came earlier this year within a month. In March, he took 5-56 against Trinidad and Tobago and followed it up with 6-30 against the Windward Islands. So far, Layne has taken 66 wickets at an average of 22.28.
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Despite making a stellar start to his first-class career, Layne has a level-headed outlook towards his game as he focuses on contributing to the team rather than on personal milestones.
"I didn’t set any targets if I’m being honest," SKN Vibes quoted Layne from a Cricket West Indies press release. "My aim was to contribute with bat and ball in efforts to win games for the team to the best of my ability, and whatever wickets or runs came with that, it was a bonus."
That Layne has two first-class fifties to his name suggests that he can be handy with the bat as well. He feels playing for the West Indies Academy has upped his skills and is ever hungry to improve himself.
"So far it has help with skills and understanding of the game," he added.
"Each time we go out there’s always something we can take to incorporate with our own personal game. For me I need to improve consistency in my bowling and decision making in my batting and how I can execute all skills under pressure."
Layne has played five T20 matches so far, all in the CPL. He made his debut for Saint Kitts and Nevis Patriots in 2023 before switching to the Barbados Royals for the 2025 season. His T20 career has not quite taken off yet – he is yet to pick up a wicket, and currently has an economy rate of 12.55. In the List A format, he has taken 13 wickets from 12 matches at an average of 34.15 and an economy rate of 5.48.
