Guyana's Carl Hooper has been retained to captain West Indies in the upcoming Test and one-day series against India.

A press release from the West Indies Cricket Board yesterday informed that the 35-year-old allrounder will meet with the West Indies selectors today and coach Roger Harper in Barbados to identify a squad for the five-match rubber in both competitions beginning April 11 in Guyana.

Hooper told Stabroek News yesterday he will be away only for the day as he intends to be back in time to travel to Berbice tomorrow for Guyana's Busta International Shield semifinal against the Leeward Islands starting on Friday at Albion.

Hooper and Harper will join chief selector Mike Findlay, Joey Carew and Joel Garner to name a training squad for a one-week camp from March 21-28 in Trinidad and Tobago.

The camp will be sandwiched between the end of the Busta Shield semifinals and the final, which has been pushed back by one week to April 4-7. Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago will contest the other semifinal in Jamaica.

"We decided to utilise the break between the Busta Shield semis and final as best we could to prepare the team for the series against the Indians," Michael Hall, chief cricket operations officer of the WICB said.

It will be the start of a busy home programme for West Indies. They play New Zealand in two Tests and five limited overs internationals immediately following the Indian series.

"The players will break for the Easter holidays and those involved in the final of Busta Shield will take part in that match before everyone comes together again just before the opening Test against India in Guyana," Hall added.