Caribbean fans must exercise patience as new captain Brathwaite and his team find their feet

Fri, Mar 19, '21

by KRISSANIA YOUNG

The last two years in West Indies cricket has been, simply put, a period of change. The latest of which will see Kraigg Brathwaite, on Sunday morning in Antigua, taking the field as official captain of the West Indies Test team for the first time. The transition from former captain Jason Holder to Brathwaite, has, in effect, seen the West Indies swapping an all-rounder who currently walks into any Test XI on the merit of performance—while falling short as a tactical leader—for an opener, who has been averaging 22.6 over the last 25 months—while being deemed as the man to lead WINDIES forward, in red-ball cricket.

However, this argument of tactical awareness, or the lack thereof, should not distract us from the fact that the first Test against Sri Lanka will signal the start of a new era for this West Indies team; therefore, demanding patience from Caribbean fans. Gratefully, as with Holder before him, Brathwaite will have a bowling line-up that practically selects itself—with competent ‘second-string’ options. Likewise, the struggles his predecessor wrestled—including Brathwaite’s lack of form, along with that of the entire top-order—neither of which will instantaneously vanish.

While so much has been made of Brathwaite’s leadership ‘masterclass’ in the 2-0 series win over Bangladesh, as well as what that approach could bring to this unit; if we are to be honest, the West Indies’ failings have been, in large parts, due to the continued non-performance of their top-order.

A top-order which includes the Jamaican, John Campbell, who will—once again—enter a series with the knowledge that his place in the team is on the line. The 2019 Wisden Trophy, in which Campbell made his Test debut, seems so long ago now; and as far away as the notion that the Jamaican is the man to partner Brathwaite at the top of the order. Ever since the pair managed three consecutive half-century opening stands in their first three attempts (averaging 64 in their first four innings), Campbell has been averaging just 21.85 in 11 Test matches. As things stand, the WINDIES opening pair of Campbell and Brathwaite has averaged 22.23 for the past 25 months.

Now, following a two-year absence from the West Indies set-up, it was in that same 2019 series against England that Darren Bravo made his return to Test cricket. However, after his half-century in the second Test of that series, Bravo has gone on to average just 9.44 in ten innings. Yet, based on the sentiments echoed by both captain Brathwaite and Chief Selector, Roger Harper, one could assume that he has returned—after being one of six Test squad members to decline the invitation to tour Bangladesh—to claim that cursed no.3 position. A position in which the West Indies have not had a century-scoring-batsman in five years, with Bravo being the last to do so against Pakistan in 2016.

The contrast in situations between the aforementioned trio and the likes of new-comers Nkrumah Bonner, Kyle Mayers and Joshua Da Silva is stark, with the latter earning themselves a run in the team based on their handful of displays. And while we’re all hoping, will captaincy realistically whip Kraigg Brathwaite into form? Is this change in leadership what Bravo needs to return to his pre-2017 self? Will opening with his captain see John Campbell suddenly getting big runs? “Ridiculous questions”, one might accuse but none more ridiculous than expecting overnight success. Therefore, I caution, as we embark upon this latest stage of Test cricket in the Caribbean, to afford this team—Brathwaite and his men—some patience.