[UPDATED] Brathwaite steps down as Windies Test captain, Hope takes over T20 captaincy

THE West Indies men’s team will have a new Test captain when the regional team hosts Australia for a three-match Test series from June-July, as Kraigg Brathwaite has stepped down from the post. The announcement was made by Cricket West Indies (CWI) via a media release on March 31.

The 32-year-old Brathwaite, who has 98 Test matches under his belt, held the West Indies captaincy since March 2021. In his last series as captain in January, Brathwaite led the Windies to a 120-run win against Pakistan in the second Test in Multan as the regional team salvaged a 1-1 draw. Brathwaite led from the front in the second innings of the second Test, as his gutsy 52 on the Multan turner helped West Indies set a formidable target for the hosts to chase.

At CWI’s quarterly press conference in Antigua on March 31, CWI president Dr Kishore Shallow said Brathwaite had expressed his desire to announce his resignation from the captaincy after the first Test against Pakistan. However, the CWI president convinced Brathwaite to see out the tour as the team’s leader.

“I told Kraigg it may not be the most opportune time to announce (his resignation) and he explained the reasons to me why he wanted to move on from captaincy then. He explained it's a case where he enjoys the responsibility but he believes he could give more if he's just focused on his batting,” Shallow said.

The CWI president hailed Brathwaite as an exemplary and inspirational leader and pointed to the recent Pakistan win and the team’s historic eight-run victory away to Australia in a day/night Test last January as examples of the outgoing captain’s ability to rally his troops.

“Captaincy is a responsibility I embrace with absolute pride and determination. The journey has had its challenges, but as a team, we have enjoyed some memorable moments,” Brathwaite said, via a pre-recorded video.

“Leadership is also about knowing when to pass the baton. And I believe this is the right time for someone else to wear the cap. I've spoken before to president Kishore Shallow and incoming coach Daren Sammy and I look forward to working with them as a committed member of the squad.

“I'm confident this decision will help us build on our success. Let's continue to rally around the West Indies and push our cricket to greater heights.”

The CWI release said a new captain will be announced in the coming weeks and its director of cricket, Miles Bascombe, said naming Brathwaite’s replacement will take careful consideration.

“Kraigg Brathwaite has been an outstanding leader for our Test team, guiding the squad with discipline, resilience, and a deep understanding of the game. His contributions have been invaluable, and under his leadership, we have witnessed historic moments that will be remembered for years to come,” Bascombe said.

Former Windies captain Daren Sammy, whose tenure as Test coach begins on April 1, also praised Brathwaite’s leadership.

“I think what Kraigg has done over the last five years, captaining and leading any West Indies team is always very difficult. The duty or responsibility of breeding leaders is also difficult,” Sammy said.

T20 captaincy changes hands

The Windies T20 team will also have a leadership change, as Barbados top-order batsman Shai Hope will take over the captaincy from Rovman Powell, who held the T20 captaincy from May 2023. Powell also captained the Windies at the 2024 International Cricket Council T20 World Cup which was jointly hosted by the Caribbean and the US.

The 31-year-old Hope, who has 39 T20 matches to his name, also serves as the West Indies’ One-Day International (ODI) captain.

“Shai Hope’s appointment signals a progressive shift for West Indies cricket, given his success with the 50-over team in the last 18 months. As the team continues its evolution, Hope blends instinctive decision-making with analytical precision, using in-depth match data and player performance insights to shape strategy,” Sammy said.

“Shai is a strong believer in team performances and his meticulous preparation, coupled with his calm and composed demeanour under pressure, makes him an ideal leader at this stage.”

Sammy said it was a difficult decision to strip Powell of the T20 captaincy, but he felt the team needed to go in a new direction.

“These are discussions we've had with Rovman before about captaincy and the direction and how we want to go about doing things. As difficult as it may have been, my relationship with Rovman and the rest of the guys in the team and how I've done things, we don't shy from difficult conversations,” Sammy said.

“He said he understood where we were going and where we were coming from and the decisions that were made and that was about it.

“When you think of alignment and some of the things we have spoken about in terms of leadership, I think this is a move in the right direction with a World Cup about 14 months off. It gives the incumbent enough time to hone his skills in leadership.”

Hope’s first series as T20 captain will be a three-match series away to England from June 6-10, which will follow a pair of three-match ODI series versus Ireland and England from May 21-June 3.

This story has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

The West Indies men’s team will have a new Test captain when the regional team hosts Australia for a three-match Test series from June-July, as Kraigg Brathwaite has stepped down from the post. The announcement was made by Cricket West Indies (CWI) via a media release on March 31.

The 32-year-old Brathwaite, who has 98 Test matches under his belt, held the West Indies captaincy since March 2021. In his last series as captain in January, Brathwaite led the Windies to a 120-run win against Pakistan in the second Test in Multan as the regional team salvaged a 1-1 draw.

At CWI’s quarterly press conference in Antigua on March 31, CWI president Dr Kishore Shallow said Brathwaite had expressed his desire to step down from the captaincy after the first Test against Pakistan.

“Understanding the importance of continuity, Brathwaite wanted to ensure the team had a period of transition before his departure,” the CWI release said.

“As a result, he has submitted his resignation ahead of the home series against Australia, giving the new leadership time to establish itself.”

The CWI release said a new captain will be announced in the coming weeks.

“Kraigg Brathwaite has been an outstanding leader for our Test team, guiding the squad with discipline, resilience, and a deep understanding of the game. His contributions have been invaluable, and under his leadership, we have witnessed historic moments that will be remembered for years to come,” said CWI’s director of cricket Miles Bascombe.

“We thank Kraigg for his service as captain and look forward to his continued impact as a senior player.”

The Windies T20 team will also have a leadership change, as Barbados top-order batsman Shai Hope will take over the captaincy from Rovman Powell, who held the T20 captaincy from May 2023. Powell also captained the Windies at the 2024 International Cricket Council T20 World Cup which was jointly hosted by the Caribbean and the US.

The 31-year-old Hope, who has 39 T20 matches to his name, also serves as the West Indies’ One-Day International (ODI) captain.

“Shai Hope’s appointment signals a progressive shift for West Indies cricket, given his success with the 50-over team in the last 18 months. As the team continues its evolution, Hope blends instinctive decision-making with analytical precision, using in-depth match data and player performance insights to shape strategy,” said West Indies coach Daren Sammy, who officially begins his tenure as Test coach on April 1.

“Shai is a strong believer in team performances and his meticulous preparation, coupled with his calm and composed demeanor under pressure, makes him an ideal leader at this stage.”

Hope’s first series as T20 captain will be a three-match series away to England from June 6-10, which will follow a pair of three-match ODI series versus Ireland and England from May 21-June 3.