BRIDGETOWN, Barbados — Cricket West Indies (CWI) is preparing to leave long-serving opener and former Test captain Kraigg Brathwaite out of its list of centrally contracted players for the 2025-2026 season, signaling what many view as the dawn of a new chapter in West Indies cricket.
According to reports in The Nation, Brathwaite — a mainstay at the top of the order for more than a decade — will instead receive a domestic contract with his home franchise, the Barbados Pride, following the recent regional draft.
A storied career meets a turning point
The 31-year-old Barbadian has been a fixture in West Indies Test cricket since 2011, amassing over 100 appearances and recently reaching the prestigious milestone of 100 Test caps against Australia in Grenada, becoming just the 10th West Indian to do so.
Yet his career-defining endurance has collided with a sharp dip in form. His struggles culminated dramatically when he was dropped for the third Test at Sabina Park earlier this year, where the Windies suffered the humiliation of being bowled out for a record-low 27 runs in a series whitewash against Australia. That omission ended Brathwaite’s remarkable streak of 90 consecutive Test matches, stretching back to 2014.
From leadership to uncertainty
Brathwaite’s likely removal from the central contracts list comes in the wake of his resignation as Test captain in March, just weeks after he guided West Indies to a memorable series-leveling victory over Pakistan — the side’s first Test win on Pakistani soil in 30 years.
His successor, all-rounder Roston Chase, was confirmed as captain following a rigorous selection process that even included psychometric testing. But the team has since stumbled, rooted to the bottom of the ICC World Test Championship table after a crushing 3-0 defeat to Australia, with daunting tours to India and New Zealand looming.
Silence from the veteran
CWI has not yet released the official list of central or regional contracts, and Brathwaite has remained silent on his exclusion. For now, speculation swirls about whether the stalwart opener — who once symbolized resilience at the crease — will continue to press for an international future or redirect his energies to regional cricket.
What is certain is that the omission of such a seasoned campaigner underscores the shifting sands in Caribbean cricket, as the board appears intent on placing its faith in a new generation of players to carry the maroon forward.
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