West Indies Test Cricket in crisis: What are the major reasons behind the decline and how can it be fixed?
It’s not a coincidence that two T20 premier leagues, the Global Super League and Max60 Caribbean, are taking place simultaneously in the West Indies. Those regional players are perhaps unaware of the Roston Chase-led side getting bowled out for a paltry 27 runs, the second-lowest score in Test history. But is there anyone to supervise?
It’s not surprising that the West Indies’ best batter in the ICC Test ranking, Kraigg Braithwaite, stands at 55. The next best in the list is Janson Holder at 62, who hasn’t played the longest format since August 2024. Even Zimbabwe, with all due respect, have two batters in the top 50 rankings. If that’s not shameful, it’s hard to explain its actual meaning.
West Indies’ poor batting performance in Test cricket
Since the start of 2021, Carlos Braithwaite has been the leading run-getter for the Caribbean side in the longest format. But his record doesn’t reflect a positive note. In 71 innings, the right-handed batter has smashed 2223 runs at an average of below 33, thanks to four centuries and 12 half-centuries. Don’t get surprised, but the next best in the list is Joshua de Silva with 1178 runs at an average of 24.54.
Generally, an average of 30 by an opener is considered poor in the longest format, especially for three years. But that’s the best for this side. Since January 2022, Braithwaite has collected 1548 runs in 51 innings at a Test average of just over 30. And then what? There is not a single batter who has carried an average of 30 after playing more than 20 innings.
The former West Indies captain played his last and 100th Test at Grenada. At this point, his average of 32.57 is the second lowest among openers, who have scored 2500+ Test runs. The topper of the list, Zak Crawley, hasn’t even played half of the Tests the Barbados-born has played. Only Tamim Iqbal is the only opener, along with Braithwaite, to average less than 40 even after playing 100 Tests.
Since January 2024, the story has been unacceptable. Braithwaite, the best batter of the West Indies’ Test side, averages 18.11 for his 471 runs in 26 innings. If tears have started to roll off the eyes as a West Indies fan, especially of the past, then hold your breath. Since January 2023, in terms of an average of 25.27, Kavem Hodge is the best batter of the side in the top seven (for at least 10 Tests). And he is in 56th place in the list of 63 players.
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Destroyed grassroots, failed board members, and a lack of quality- West Indies Test cricket touches its lowest
Money is a vital factor for any cricketer’s life, and that’s where the problem begins. Any West Indies player doesn’t get paid the same amount as an England, Australia, or India player would. Unlike the other countries, the Caribbean is a mixture of various regions, which makes it even tougher to match different characters.
Because they don’t get paid handsomely, they choose to fly around the globe for various T20 leagues. Six franchise leagues around the world, with ample time to spend with family, make it a sweet life. Most of their renowned players avoid the longest format for this simple reason.
In a recent podcast, the former West Indies captain, Brian Lara, felt that “West Indies Cricket Board or the administration has done nothing meaningful to keep players loyal, unlike the other boards.” Putting an example of the South Africa and New Zealand players, he reckoned that “these guys are just trying to provide for their families.”
So, if there is no money in the international layer, how will it come into the domestic structure? That’s where the problem begins at the grassroots level. Hence, most of these players are from the academic regions but do not have high-level skills. As Lara mentioned, these days players are using West Indies cricket to get fame for the leagues, just the opposite of the old days. It was just a couple of years ago when Kyle Mayers and Jason Holder were regular members of the red-ball side. Now, they have vaporised.
Coach Darren Sammy, after the Grenada defeat, addressed that the surfaces around the Caribbean hardly allow the batters to trust their games. There is also a lack of generational talent and motivation for the longest format. The love of the game, for the international side, is missing. Once there is no attachment to earning success, then it only becomes a corporate eight-hour job.
The only good thing for them is that the failures are among the batters only. The upcoming generation of bowlers has fired. Jayden Seales, Shamar Joseph, and Alzarri Joseph- all of them have strapped their shoes to go through the hard job.
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Is there any solution for West Indies in Test cricket?
Honestly, there is hardly any solution. There is no proper long-term structure and well-thought-out development plan. There is blame-shifting and a press release, in which they called for an ‘emergency summit.’ The former West Indies World Cup-winning captain, Clive Lloyd, is part of it.
Lloyd, who was invited alongside Viv Richards and Lara by the CWI president, Dr Kishore Shallow, stressed the urgency to find solutions. In a discussion on ESPNcricinfo, he said, “Everything must be looked at closely and carefully as West Indies cricket is an institution.”
“We need a couple of Larry Gomes, more batsmen like him. We need batsmen who put a heavy price on their wickets and, when they get in, look to stay in. There is nothing wrong with digging in and ‘batting ugly.” The 80-year-old explained.
The veteran also advised on ‘looking at schools’ cricket, club cricket, first-class cricket, and the pitches’ preparation.’ But how will they do that is the question. Will they go back to the old-school proper Test match batting or take a leaf out of England’s Bazball approach?
It’s not happy news for the West Indies finishing eighth in the three editions of the WTC. And, the challenge will be even tougher in the two upcoming away series in India and New Zealand.
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