WEST Indies Test captain Kraigg Brathwaite is urging his players to continue putting in the hours in training during the downtime after falling to India 1-0 in a two-match Test series.

The second Test match between the teams ended in a draw as not a ball was bowled on day five because of rain at the Queen’s Park Oval in St Clair on Monday.

The fifth day’s play was called off at 2.45 pm.

India won the first Test match at Windsor Park in Roseau, Dominica and as a result won the series 1-0.

India were in the driver’s seat at the end of day four of the second Test as West Indies closed on 76/2 chasing 365 for victory.

Speaking to the media after the match, Brathwaite said, “We were looking forward to day five. Obviously, 280 runs to win in 98 overs (on the last day) was possible for the win, but obviously, you can’t control the weather.”

The skipper wants his players to continue doing their individual work.

“I think we have a bright future. The key for us is when we get back home is to work on our strengths and our weaknesses. We know we are coming up against Australia in six months' time and we know their bowlers.”

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Yup. 2 Matches every 6 months

Yet….this is the so called pinnacle of the sport

In reply to imusic

Why can't our cricketers and CWI control what is within their purview?

Work on being tecchnically competent and worry about the externalities later. In short, stop embarassing West Indies cricket.

In a world of limitless competition and the bottom line is all that matters there is no room for imcompetence...compete first, the rest will fall in line.

We have to create demand for our game.

I bet many West Indian players who were in IPL earlier this year will not see the light of day next iteration.

why cant our underperforming captain be a little less willing to give soundbites???

In reply to imusic

You well know why they don't get more

We lucky the odi team still haffa haffa

In reply to Courtesy

WI will continue to play at that pace in test cricket in the coming years.

Maybe 6 test matches per year

Maximum of 30 days of red ball cricket in 365 days

Outside of that, who they “practicing” against? Where?

There is zero demand to play West Indies among the other test playing countries.

They play us because they’re obligated to. That’s it.

That decline in performance and reputation began long before the popular scapegoat T20 cricket was invented.

Look at the “crowds” that showed up for test cricket in Dominica & Trinidad. The public knows the truth.

In reply to imusic

Bruh, all I can tell you is to problem solve instead of throwing your hands in the air like a defeated skunt.

Start with problem identification and migrate your way thru.

In reply to Courtesy

I agree about problem solving

Focus your efforts on where you’re most likely to yield positive results.

Given limited resources…..both capital and human……red ball cricket is where WI is least likely to yield positive results.

Therefore. Focus the vast majority, if not all of your efforts on white ball cricket and leave red ball cricket to fulfill obligations. That’s it’s major purpose.

No sense continuing to beat a near dead horse

In reply to imusic

Is there not evidence that many cricketers who excel at T20 have a good grounding in first class cricket, test cricket even?

Can any country just focus on T20 cricket without developing their first class game and how long is that sustainable?

From being a Tunapuna yute to a T20 world giant...playing only T20 cricket along the way.

The next test series is in six months and our next four day competition might not be until February 2024. So how do we expect to develop test players like this when they can’t play in England? I am saying the time has come for West Indies cricket to consider having two or three different four day competitions a year and or a Headley / Weeks competition. I don’t know how but we just have to come up with ways to help develop our players. Most of them are already on contracts so let’s make sure we develop them

In reply to imusic

WI will continue to play at that pace in test cricket in the coming years.

Maybe 6 test matches per year

Maximum of 30 days of red ball cricket in 365 days

Outside of that, who they “practicing” against? Where?

There is zero demand to play West Indies among the other test playing countries.

They play us because they’re obligated to. That’s it.

That decline in performance and reputation began long before the popular scapegoat T20 cricket was invented.

Stop hoax and negativity....talk facts... West Indies will be playing 11 test in 2024..
This year's schedule for West Indies was prepared taking into Qualifiers,CPL which start August 14.....upto September....then World Cup ODI..starts 4th October upto November 19.... unfortunately, West Indies not part of it...CWI at best can arrange a series with Ireland or Zimbabwe or Scotland in this window...

December..white ball series with England..

Schedule of 2024 with 11 tests

Link Text

A series of red ball practice matches and A tours is what CWI should be looking at.

Unbelievable these players will hardly play any cricket including white ball between now and the next test series.

In reply to imusic

Focus your efforts on where you’re most likely to yield positive results.

Given limited resources…..both capital and human……red ball cricket is where WI is least likely to yield positive results.

Therefore. Focus the vast majority, if not all of your efforts on white-ball cricket and leave red ball cricket to fulfill obligations. That’s it’s major purpose

AND the window of white ball opportunity is fast closing. The recent WCQ tells you that. Associate Member (AM) nations without any heralded first-class system much less test cricket pedigree have or are in the process of overtaking WI. As other Full Member (FM) nations reduce the amount of test cricket they play against WI, especially the ones that mattered traditionally, white ball cricket is what we will be left with to try and maintain relevance. Essentially WI will be playing AM cricket and from the evidence struggling at it. IF the big boys at ICC have their way and 50 over cricket is seriously curtailed, that near-dead horse you spoke of will be a corpse!