Carl Hooper - facing problems. (Getty Images)

West Indies captain Carl Hooper faces not only a crisis of low confidence in his leadership but also a fitness battle ahead of Australia's arrival in April.

He will not play again in March and therefore will lack match practice for the visit of Steve Waugh's team, which means the 36-year-old could not only lose the captaincy but may also have to miss at least the opening Test.

The West Indies Cricket Board are to meet on Friday to discuss whether Hooper should continue to skipper the Caribbean outfit, with Wavell Hinds and Ramnaresh Sarwan possible replacements.

Amid doubts about Hooper's future, chairman of selectors Sir Vivian Richards has convened the meeting and will then give a recommendation to the WICB, selector Joey Carew revealed.

Hooper admitted he was contemplating his international future after the once-mighty Windies were knocked out in the first stage of the World Cup.

He had a miserable World Cup, scoring 99 runs in six innings at an average of 19.80, but Richards urged him to stay on.

Since the team's return from South Africa, Hooper has retreated to his Guyana home and is resting his injured knees.

He has been advised to take a two-week break from cricket after showing signs of wear and tear to the knees on which he had surgery in November.

The team's World Cup doctor, Sunet Liebenberg, made the recommendation to Hooper, with the WICB agreeing it was the best course of action.

Hooper, who took over from Jimmy Adams as West Indies captain at the start of the 2001 home series against South Africa, was expected to return to competitive cricket later this month, in the Carib Beer International Challenge Series semi-finals for Guyana starting on March 28.

But that will not happen now after Guyana confirmed they would have to cope without their star man.

"Carl will not be available for the semi-finals of the Carib Beer International Series," confirmed Guyana Cricket Board spokeman Tony Holder.

The Australians arrive on April 2 for a series of four Tests and seven one-day internationals against the West Indies, with the first Test in Guyana, which Hooper would obviously be eager to play in, beginning on April 10.