The current West Indies Test Captain, Kraigg Brathwaite resigned from the leadership duties of the national team. Cricket West Indies said that Brathwaite had already indicated his intentions to step down after the completion of the Pakistan tour of the team.
So, the West Indies Test team will start their World Test Championship cycle under a new captain. The West Indies opener decided to step down from the responsibility with three months left for the next tour of the West Indies Test team. In about three months, they will play Australia at home.
Under the captaincy of Brathwaite, the West Indies beat England in 2022 at home and also secured a thrilling win in Australia for the first time in 27 years. Recently, his team drew the Test series in Pakistan as well. Brathwaite captained the West Indies team in 39 Test matches and won 10 of them.
Cricket West Indies confirmed they will appoint a new captain for the Test side in the coming weeks.
There is also a change in the leadership on the T20 side. Now, ODI captain Shai Hope has been handed the captaincy of the T20 side as well. CWI said that the decision to make Shai Hope the captain in both white ball formats was taken after the advice from Head Coach Darren Sammy.
“Kraigg Brathwaite has been an outstanding leader for our Test team, guiding the squad with discipline, resilience, and a deep understanding of the game,” Director of Cricket, Miles Bascombe said. “His contributions have been invaluable, and under his leadership, we have witnessed historic moments that will be remembered for years to come. We thank Kraigg for his service as captain and look forward to his continued impact as a senior player.”
Sammy also praised Hope after his appointment as T20 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,” Sammy said. “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. 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.”