Darren Sammy has confirmed his retirement from Test cricket just hours after he was replaced as captain of the West Indies in the longer format of the game.

The West Indies Cricket Board announced on Friday that wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin would replace Sammy as skipper of the Test side ahead of the series against New Zealand in June.

"Darren Sammy has formally notified the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) of his decision to retire from test cricket," the WICB said in a statement.

"Sammy has also informed the board of his decision to continue to make himself available for selection for the other formats of the game."

The 30-year-old scored one century and took 84 wickets in 38 Tests.