BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (Reuters): Ramnaresh Sarwan has been appointed as the new captain of West Indies following the retirement of Brian Lara, Caribbean media reported on Sunday.

CMC Sport said that Sarwan had been given the job at a meeting of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) on Sunday.

The WICB were not immediately reachable for confirmation.

The 26-year-old right-handed batsmen from Guyana had been widely tipped to take the job for the upcoming tour of England. The first test is on May 17.

Sarwan, who was Lara's vice-captain, has played in 65 test matches and 124 one-day internationals.