His tenure as the West Indies’ Test team’s incoming Head Coach hasn’t even started, but the designate Darren Sammy must be by now scratching his head already! Wondering what exactly he’s gotten himself into and if this time around he has indeed bitten off far more that he can chew!
As much would have become palpably clear following the West Indies team’s most recent Test match humiliation. Their dismal defeat to hosts Pakistan, within three days and by 127 runs, during the January 17-19, 2025 First Test played at Multan. In response to Pakistan’s posted first and second innings scores of 230 and 157, West Indies in reply could only muster totals of 137 and 123!
There was much that was appalling about the West Indies batting performances at Multan. Not the least of which was the reality that in the reply to Pakistan’s posted first innings total of 230, only one of their top six batters, Skipper Kraigg Brathwaite, reached double figures. Ample cause for Sammy to be concern!
Brathwaite’s contribution was a paltry 11. His eleventh under fifteen score in his twenty most recent Test Innings. It was left to the West Indies batting lower order, comprised of Kevin Sinclair (11), Gudakesh Motie (19), Jomel Warrican (31 not out) and Jayden Seales (22) to add some semblance of respectability to the West Indies total. After the first seven wickets had fallen for only 51 in 13.5 overs!
Sammy would have rightfully been even more dismayed by the West Indies’ second innings performance. Bowled out for 123 in 36.3 overs. With almost half of those runs having come from the bat of the promising Alick Athanaze. He scored a defiantly aggressive 55, made off of only 68 balls and inclusive of seven fours.
Based on the batting performances witnessed during the Pakistan first Test, as soon as the current series concludes with the end of the scheduled January 25-29, 2025 Second to be played ominously at the very same Multan Stadium, Sammy should start urgently searching for some obviously needed replacements. Including a new captain, at least one if not two opening batters, as well as a number five. Athanaze batting at four should now be the only person guaranteed of retaining his spot in the team for the West Indies next Test Series, which will be at home to the visiting Aussies, this coming July.
Of course cricket having always been ‘a game of glorious uncertainties,’ the West Indies batters namely Messrs. Brathwaite, Mikyle Louis, Kacy Carty and Kavem Hodge, could very well, possibly, fashion remarkable respective career recovery performances during the forthcoming second Test. Based on their respective demonstrated inadequacies against Pakistan’s venerated spin attack, as well as the likelihood that the Multan track will again turn square from ball one, I wouldn’t count on it though!
Skipper Brathwaite had recently stated publicly that his career objective has always been to play at least 100 Tests for the West Indies. He currently sits at 97 with the forthcoming Pakistan second Test scheduled to be his 98th. His retention as West Indies captain for the upcoming three Tests Home Series against Australia would take him to 101 and beyond his coveted 100 matches landmark.
Unfortunately, Brathwaite’s performances of late, however, no longer merit any such extension of his captaincy tenure. As a captain his tactical leadership has always been subject to criticism. Punctuated as it has far too often been by a lack of needed aggression, dubious on field decision making, and at times highly baffling field placings.
As the West Indies senior opening batter, Brathwaite as captain and with his outstanding experience would be expected to set the tone for his team at each outing. Sadly, his actual performances of late have fallen well short of any such expectations. Zero centuries, only two scores above fifty and as many as ten single digit scores, including three ducks, from his last thirty innings.
Such has been the extent of Brathwaite’s underperformance with the bat at the top of the West Indies’ innings. A dismal record which now no longer merits his place in the team, aged 32 as he is also.
Identifying a suitable replacement for Brathwaite as captain is, however, likely to be only the first of Sammy’s numerous pending selectorial dilemmas. For which he will now also have sole responsibility, given Cricket West Indies (CWI) recent decision for the appointed Head Coach in each of the three formats to also function as the one and only Selector.
Sammy’s only two available viable Brathwaite alternative captaincy options would appear to be either a) taking a monumental gamble on the still very young and Test match inexperienced Alick Athanaze or b) somehow convincing Shai Hope to resume his Test career, playing as captain and the designated number five batter. With the wicket-keeping duties to now remain in the seemingly promising hands of Tevin Imlach who was outstandingly impressive with both his movement and glovework during his Pakistan first Test debut.
It will be very interesting to see which way Sammy goes in terms of the Aussie Series captaincy decision. In the interim, however, regardless of the West Indies batting performances during the forthcoming Pakistan second Test, Sammy should be buoyed by the good fortune of having the Caribbean Regional 2025 Four Day tournament commencing on January 29.
This year’s Regional Four Day Tournament will provide Sammy, as well as his designated selection scouts, with ample opportunities to asses the credentials of batters as contenders for Aussie series final eleven and fifteen-member squad inclusions. Those such as the aforementioned Louis, Carty and Hodge will be provided opportunities to restate their claims for selection. So too will emerging exciting batting talents such as Guyana’s Matthew Nandu and Barbados’ Kevin Wickham.
Now that he’s seemingly lost his position as the incumbent wicket-keeping batter to Imlach, the deposed Joshua DaSilva might also be well advised to open the batting for Trinidad & Tobago’s Red Force when he returns to the franchise’s team for its remaining available 4Day matches. Outstandingly high scores by DaSilva as T&T’s opener would certainly provide Selector Sammy with an opening batter option for Aussie Series consideration.
Amir Jangoo batting at three is also another decision the Red Force selectors should make. Similarly high scores from Jangoo would likewise position him as a very strong contender for the number three batting spot against the Aussies. If, of course, by then he still hadn’t already made his debut by being selected for the Pakistan second Test!
Except for Gudakesh Motie who seemed stuck in T20 mode, darting his deliveries in instead of opting for much slower paced, well flighted variations, the West Indies bowlers performed most admirably during the Pakistan first Test. Jomal Warrican’s second innings sevenfer (7/32) being the most outstanding.
Jayden Seales was also equally impressive with the ball. With the two Josephs, Alzarri and Shamar, to both, hopefully, be fit and available for the Aussie Series they along with Seales could form a West Indies pace attack fully capable of matching that which the visitors will likely have on offer.
The Aussie Series will also present an ideal opportunity for Kemar Roach to be allowed a one-off farewell Test appearance. Ideally in front of his Barbados Kensington Oval home crowd.
Should he have an outstanding Regional 4Day Tournament at the helm of the Guyana Harpy Eagles’ seam attack, the admirably pacy Isai Thorne could also conceivably force his way into the West Indies team for the Aussie series. With his genuine speed Thorne could conceivably become the debuting member of a West Indies four-prong pace attack.
Ultra-potent four prong pace attack glory days revived perhaps. Certainly, something for Sammy to look forward to as he deliberates his likely headache causing West Indies Aussie Series Test squad selections.