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.”
[caption id="attachment_1147079" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Kraigg Brathwaite - AP PHOTO[/caption]
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.
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