New Cycle - New Leadership for West Indies
Author: Tom Penn
Updated At:
After enjoying a home series success over England in 2022 before going to Australia and wowing the world with a Test victory down-under for the first time in 27 years early last year, Kraigg Brathwaite stepped down as Test captain of the West Indies on Monday.
His replacement has not yet been named but will stand alongside Shai Hope, who now captains both the ODI and T20I sides, in leading West Indies at international level.
Whoever takes on the job will have a tough assignment as the lure of franchise leagues continues to see players opt in favour of those as opposed to international commitments, something which countless captains have had to contend with over recent decades.
Brathwaite's Main Successes
When one considers the gulf in finances between the West Indies Cricket Board and that of Cricket Australia and the England and Wales Cricket Board, it should be celebrated that Brathwaite was able to lead his team to victories against both during his tenure!
It was at the end of March 2022 that England were beaten by ten wickets in the third and final Test of their Caribbean tour in Grenada. That Test defeat saw Joe Root step down as England captain and talk of a new era of Test cricket for West Indies was also in the air.
Then when Brathwaite's side defeated Australia by eight runs at the Gabba in late January 2024, with Shamar Joseph emerging as a world class bowler, cricket fans all over the globe stood up and took notice!
West Indies' Test record with Brathwaite in charge
| Matches | Won | Lost | Tied | Draw |
| 39 | 10 | 22 | 0 | 7 |
Potential Replacements
Shai Hope has recently taken on the T20I captaincy from Rovman Powell and added it to his other role as ODI skipper. An excellent leader and a mature character, Hope is respected across the cricketing world but despite some glorious performances in red ball internationals early in his career, he has not played Test cricket since December 2021.
West Indies did win their last game under Brathwaite's leadership, beating Pakistan by 120 runs in Multan during January of this year with Jomel Warrican taking the Player of the Match Award with 36 not out alongside bowling figures of 4/43 and 5/27.
Perhaps now is the time for West Indies to invest in a younger skipper and build a side around new leadership. Alick Athanaze, long thought of as the future for West Indies, could fit that bill, although his recent Test form has been poor with nine single-figure scores from his last 15 Test innings.
It will be the 25th of June when West Indies next take to the field in Test cricket and they will be hosting Australia at the Kensington Oval, Barbados. The Aussies were the side who Brathwaite enjoyed his finest Test victory against as skipper and if his replacement can do the same then his era will be off to the best possible start.
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