I probably wouldn't have left both those two out of the tour - as Sussex says , England surely need to get some results to stop the bleeding ; and they are in England's best XI (or twelve if you want to get picky about conditions and rest/rotation etc) anywhere. But I think I can see why they've done it.
Though the pace bowling is probably the part of the team that is least in need of improving , it is also the one part in which they might actually
be able to experiment without causing more disaster. Wood was excellent in Australia and should be up to leading the line in west Indies ; Robinson (fitness issues my only concern) ought to do a good job - and the hope must be that Woakes can make this trip (to a place where the Dukes ball is in use) an exception to his rotten overseas record. (And I do hope Woakes can do so as I think they might well need his batting !) On top of them they would probably like to trial Mahmood at least - rather less likely Fisher will get a run. Overton is a spare again I guess.
So it would all be a bit crowded with A & B ... Now one can argue that they are still taking a risk , and not showing enough respect to West Indies - apart from a lack of respect to their two veteran bowlers. But it may be this move will turn out for the best in the long run :
IF the others do a decent job on tour and they get a chance to blood new talent : the worrying thing perhaps being what happened in Brisbane
I do think it might have been handled rather better in any case : surely Broad and Anderson were entitled to a call in advance outlining the reasoning ? And a bit more emphasis on the "resting" aspect in the initial squad announcement rather than what appeared to be a dialing back of the original suggestion that their careers were "not necessarily "over a day or two later. I get that Strauss doesn't want to tie a new manager's hands ; but it should be obvious that with seven home Tests coming up both these chaps will play a serious part in the summer at some point !
Haven't heard from Jimmy though I doubt he's best pleased. But not surprised to see a "broad-side" from Stuart. Occurs to me that p.ssing him off to ensure more fire in the summer might also have been part of the plan...