Sammy on Brathwaite Test captaincy resignation: Chance for a fresh start

NEW West Indies Test coach Daren Sammy said the resignation of Test captain Kraigg Brathwaite gives the regional team the opportunity to have a fresh start as they begin their search for a new skipper.

The resignation of Brathwaite, who has played 98 Test matches, was confirmed by Cricket West Indies (CWI) via media release on March 31. Brathwaite had considered resigning from the captaincy during West Indies’ two-match tour of Pakistan in January. However, CWI president Dr Kishore Shallow encouraged him to delay his decision.

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

Sammy’s tenure as Test coach will officially commence on April 1, with the St Lucian replacing Jamaican Andre Coley, who oversaw the regional team’s 1-1 draw away to Pakistan in his last series at the helm.

With Brathwaite stepping down, Sammy’s most immediate job will be to select a Test captain. The Windies’ next engagement in the Test arena will be a three-match home series against Australia, which starts with the first Test from June 25 at the Kensington Oval, Barbados. The next two Tests will be played at the National Cricket Stadium, Grenada and Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica respectively. The last Test is expected to be a day/night contest, with CWI CEO Chris Dehring saying that the go-ahead for the pink-ball affair will be dependent on the quality of the lighting system at the Kingston venue.

At CWI’s quarterly media conference in Antigua on March 31, Sammy thanked Brathwaite for his service as West Indies captain. He acknowledged that the Barbados opener will not be easy to replace, but assured a suitable replacement will step up to the plate.

“Throughout the region, we have eight First Class teams playing, including the (West Indies) Academy. We've been grooming leaders in that regard as well. What we do have is an opportunity to start fresh,” Sammy said.

Currently ninth in the International Cricket Council Test rankings, the West Indies are starved of experience in their squad.

Of the players to feature in West Indies last Test versus Pakistan in January, only outgoing skipper Brathwaite and his countryman Kemar Roach (85 Tests) have played over 20 Test matches.

Mikyle Louis (nine Tests), Amir Jangoo (one Test), Kavem Hodge (11 Tests), Alick Athanaze (13 Tests) and Justin Greaves (six Tests) made up the Windies’ top six in the second Test in Multan. Meanwhile, then-Test vice-captain Joshua Da Silva, who has 33 Tests to his name, was unused on the Pakistan tour as Guyanese wicket-keeper/batsman Tevin Imlach was given his Test debut. Former captain Jason Holder (69 Tests) was not on the Pakistan tour, as well as seamer Alzarri Joseph (37 Tests) who was unavailable for the last tour because of other commitments.

Sammy hinted the lack of experience may not be an issue when appointing a new captain.

“I always look at the bright side. What this situation creates and what opportunities it creates...and I can go back probably to my time when I had only played about nine Test matches and I was captaining the West Indies. It creates an amazing and exciting opportunity for us to start with a new direction for the Test team.

“I look forward to that opportunity. We will find someone to take up the mantle after Kraigg. As difficult as it may sound, we will have a captain. The way we will mould and groom him, I have every reason to believe he will be more than capable of doing the job.”

Sammy was asked if there was a shortlist of players who would be considered for the post.

“To be very clear, we have 15 guys who are normally on tour. And yes, we will definitely have a proper West Indies Test captain to fill in the big boots that Kraigg Brathwaite has left us,” he said.