After months of rehabilitation, frustration, and watching from afar, West Indies fast bowler Alzarri Joseph says he is finally closing in on the return he has spent nearly a year fighting to achieve.
The 29-year-old Antiguan pacer is back in the regional setup at Cricket West Indies’ high-performance white-ball camp at Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua, where preparations are intensifying ahead of next month’s limited-overs series against Sri Lanka.
For Joseph, however, the camp represents far more than routine preparation. It marks the latest step in a demanding comeback journey after a lower back injury forced him out of competitive cricket during the latter stages of 2025 and sidelined him from the 2026 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
Watching from the sidelines took its toll
Known for his aggression, pace, and relentless competitiveness, Joseph admitted the extended absence tested him mentally as much as physically.
“It hurts having to watch on TV and unable to help my teammates,” Joseph said. “It was a tough period having to sit down and not contribute, but I had to focus on rehabilitation, strengthening and conditioning to get back into peak form.”
The injury interruption came at a difficult time for the fast bowler, who has long been viewed as one of the Caribbean’s premier pace prospects and a central figure in the future of West Indies cricket.
Yet despite the lengthy rehabilitation process, Joseph says the work behind the scenes has already begun to pay dividends.
Feeling stronger and hungrier
Since rejoining the training environment, Joseph believes his body is responding positively, with the time away helping him rebuild both physically and mentally.
The fast bowler said he already feels fitter and stronger as he works toward regaining full match sharpness ahead of international selection.
Even with an established résumé that includes becoming the youngest West Indian to take a five-wicket haul in One-Day Internationals, as well as the fastest regional player to reach 100 ODI wickets, Joseph insists he is still far from the finished product.
“You can always improve and get better. I never think I’m at my best. There are always skills I can work on,” Joseph said.
Fast-bowling unit driven by bigger ambitions
Joseph also spoke enthusiastically about the emerging West Indies pace battery, which now features talents such as Jayden Seales, Shamar Joseph, and Matthew Forde.
Together, he believes the group has the talent and ambition to restore the Caribbean side’s reputation as one of world cricket’s most feared bowling attacks.
“We want to be the best in the world,” Joseph said. “I want to challenge for World Cups and leave West Indies cricket in a better position than when I came in.”
Countdown to Sri Lanka series
The ongoing Cricket West Indies training camp concludes on May 31, with attention now turning toward the Sri Lanka series, which bowls off on June 3 at Sabina Park.
For Joseph, the series could represent not only a long-awaited return to international cricket, but also the beginning of a renewed chapter in a career he hopes can still help carry West Indies cricket back to the top of the global game.
