Bravo holds Windies Board responsible for ‘abrupt’ end to Test career

Dwayne Bravo: ‘They had different plans and different ideas’

Former West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo says the decision to end his Test career at the age of 27 was not his. Bravo’s last appearance in the format came in a rained-out contest in Pallekele in 2010. Speaking on the Beard Before Wicket Podcast, the Trinbagonian said, contrary to assumptions, he had “made it very clear” he wanted to continue his Test journey.

“No, I didn't decide to give up Test cricket; [the board] decided to give me up,” he clarified. Bravo, who is the current Trinbago Knight Riders coach, says he attributes part of the blame to his current deputy at the Caribbean Premier League side, Ottis Gibson, who was Windies head coach at the time. 

“My assistant coach, Ottis, is the guy who was the coach for the West Indies team back then when my Test career came to an abrupt end. Now I still give him the s--- about it.”

He, however, absolved then-skipper Darren Sammy of any guilt. “I didn't think it had anything to do with Sammy, because I think at that time, Sammy was a young captain, so he didn't have much influence or much say over what team was selected,” Bravo said, emphasizing that Gibson, as the head coach, did.

“So I always tell ‘Gibo’ that it was his and the selectors' back then and the board's decision. It was never my decision to finish Test cricket, and that's the God's honest truth. But obviously, they had different plans and different ideas, and there's not much I could have done.”

Bravo averaged 31.42 in 40 matches, scoring 2200 runs while snatching 86 wickets at 39.83. Numbers that he says made him, “at the time, one of the best all-rounders playing for West Indies.”  

However, the 42-year-old, who went on to become one of the greatest short-format bowlers in world cricket, acknowledged the consequent trade-off between his illustrious T20 career and his short stay in Tests.  

“If it were my decision, I would have played a lot more Test matches and for longer,” he said. “[But] I think if I continued to play more Test matches, I would not have the T20 career that I have. And luckily, I played 40 Test matches, so there's nothing I can say I regretted. I still had the opportunity to represent the West Indies and play 40 Test matches, which is a lot.”