West Indies captain Roston Chase has sounded a sobering call for greater financial and infrastructural support across Caribbean cricket, admitting that chronic shortcomings are undermining the region’s ability to compete at the highest level.
Speaking candidly after his team’s innings-and-140-run defeat to India inside three days at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Chase said the current state of the game in the West Indies reflects deep-rooted issues far beyond individual performances.
“There is obviously a struggle in the Caribbean for finances,” Chase lamented. “So whatever help we can get — if they are planning to get the help — I hope that we do get it, so that we could strengthen the infrastructure for the cricket.”
Beneath the defeat — cracks in the foundation
The West Indies’ latest collapse — bowled out for 162 and 146 in response to India’s 448 for five declared, featuring three centuries — has reignited scrutiny of the region’s domestic systems. Chase, who has been one of few senior figures to speak openly about structural issues, described the training environment as woefully inadequate.
“I think the systems in the Caribbean are a bit poor in terms of training facilities and stuff,” he said bluntly. “But I’m not using that as an excuse or something to hide behind the poor performances that we’ve been putting up lately.”
That self-awareness underscores a growing frustration among players who feel caught between limited resources and escalating global expectations.
A troubled year for West Indies cricket
The defeat in Ahmedabad is only the latest blow in a turbulent year. Earlier in the season, the team suffered a 3-0 home sweep by Australia, including an infamous 27 all out — the second-lowest total in Test history.
And beyond the red-ball arena, the T20 squad endured further embarrassment with a 2-1 series loss to Nepal, a result that sent shockwaves through the cricketing world.
Each result, Chase suggested, points back to the same root problems — inadequate pitches, slow outfields, and a lack of high-quality facilities that limit player development.
Hard to score when the grounds work against you
Chase explained how Caribbean conditions, rather than encouraging positive batting, have hindered the cultivation of long innings and consistent scoring.
“The pitches in the Caribbean are not really batsman-friendly, so guys don’t really bat for long periods and score those big scores,” he noted. “The outfields in the Caribbean are really slow, so when you hit the ball in the gaps and you think you have four, you probably end up struggling to get two.”
These persistent conditions, he suggested, not only restrict player confidence but also skew performance expectations when West Indies cricketers compete on faster, truer pitches abroad.
A plea for renewal
Despite the frankness of his assessment, Chase’s message was not one of despair but of urgency — a plea for administrators, governments, and regional stakeholders to recognize that rebuilding West Indies cricket requires more than talent alone.
The infrastructure, he insisted, must finally match the heritage.
“We’ve got the players and the passion,” he said. “But unless the systems improve, we’re going to keep falling short.”
