Medium-pace bowler Taylor has a stiff back and has been advised to rest for four to six weeks, the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) said in a statement.

Lara was left out of the squad by the board following a contract dispute.

Skipper Lara, vice captain Ramnaresh Sarwan [ Images ], Chris Gayle [ Images ], Dwayne Bravo [ Images ], Dwayne Smith [ Images ], Fidel Edwards [ Images ] and Ravi Rampaul have personal sponsorship deals with Cable and Wireless, meaning a potential clash with West Indies' main sponsor Digicel.

Digicel's five-year agreement is worth about $20 million and is the biggest in West Indies history.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul [ Images ] will lead the team in the first Test in Lara's absence.