West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite expressed his disappointment following the team’s performance in the first Test against England at Lord’s but remains optimistic about a comeback, similar to their bounce back against Australia earlier this year.
England secured a comprehensive victory, winning by an innings and 114 runs within three days on Friday.
“It’s quite disappointing, but it’s gone. We have two Test matches left in this series and we have to look ahead and stay mentally tough. That’s important for us,” Brathwaite stated in the post-match press conference.
A historic eight-run victory
In January, the West Indies faced a similar challenge during their tour of Australia. After a crushing 10-wicket defeat in the first Test in Adelaide, they rebounded with a historic eight-run victory in the second Test in Brisbane.
When asked if he believes his team can replicate that performance in response to their recent loss, Brathwaite confidently replied, “Yeah for sure. Every individual I believe in 100%. I know they can get the job done at this level so I believe in them for sure.”
Kraigg Brathwaite also highlighted some positives from the first Test against England, particularly in the bowling department. “Positives? We did bowl them out, albeit 50-60 runs too many. With the bat, we got three guys that got to 20-odd and batted for an hour. We caught decently as well,” he said.
A downturn in form since his 182 against Zimbabwe
Regarding potential changes to the line-up for the second Test at Trent Bridge starting on July 18, Brathwaite mentioned that it was too early to decide. “It’s a little too early to decide. Obviously, it’s a different pitch we’ll be playing on so when we get there we’ll know,” he said.
On a personal note, Brathwaite has experienced a downturn in form since his 182 against Zimbabwe last February. He has managed just one fifty in his last 16 innings, scoring 75 against India in Port-of-Spain last July. Since the Zimbabwe series, he has accumulated 227 runs in 16 innings at an average of 15.13.
Despite these struggles, Brathwaite remains hopeful. “I’m coping okay. Test cricket is always a challenge but, as I say to the boys as well it’s the same thing for myself, you’ve just got to stay mentally tough. You’ve got to believe that something’s coming around the corner. Just keep doing the right things and everything will work out,” he said.
