PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC):

Injury has sidelined Daren Ganga for Trinidad & Tobago's opening match in the Regional 4-day tournament against Combined Campuses & Colleges, starting on February 3 at the Three Ws Oval in Barbados.

The former T&T captain has battled a back injury for the last few months, had started back light training in recent weeks, and was looking forward to be given the all-clear by his doctor on Thursday.

"[Daren] saw his doctor concerning his back injury and he is not fully fit to take up his position on the team at present," said Dudnath Ramkessoon, the T&T chairman of selectors.

"Most likely, he will be playing in the domestic league this weekend in a bid to get back to full fitness in time for the other matches."

The Red Fury will also be without West Indies fast Ravi Rampaul for the tournament opener due to an ankle inury.

"We have a bye for the next round, which gives him time to recuperate and, hopefully, he would be ready for our next match to lead the bowling line-up," said Ramkessoon.

Nine players from the Caribbean Twenty20-winning squad are retained for the match, including all-rounders Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard.

Four players that failed to the CT20 cut have grabbed a place. They are all-rounder Imran Khan, fellow leg-spinner Yannic Cariah, as well as fast bowler Shannon Gabriel, a product of the West Indies High Performance Centre, and Atiba Allert.

Ramkessoon said the squad was talented yet balanced, and gave T&T an overwhelming chance to make a strong start to the tournament.