West Indies Captain Kraigg Brathwaite has underscored the significance of increasing the number of Test matches played by the West Indies team, particularly for the development of their batting unit.
Brathwaite, an experienced opener with 88 Tests to his name, believes that more international cricket exposure is essential to rapidly acclimate the young and relatively inexperienced players in the squad, especially when facing top-rated bowling attacks like Australia’s.
Expressing his views after West Indies’ 10-wicket defeat in the opening Test at Adelaide Oval, Brathwaite stated, “We need to play a lot more games. Last year we played six games … I pretty much wouldn’t mind if we played six games or back-to-back series because I think you’ve got to play to learn.” He emphasized that gaining experience in the field against world-class bowlers is vital for a player’s growth and learning process.
Continuous funding
Brathwaite further explained the challenges of learning and improving when there is a significant gap between Test matches, saying, “So it’s pretty hard to learn as a batsman because I think you learn when you’re out there playing and experiencing what world-class bowlers do, so I think we need a lot more Test cricket.”
In a positive note, Brathwaite mentioned that the current year offers a relatively good number of Test matches for West Indies, with nine scheduled. However, he also emphasized the need for continuous funding and more cricket opportunities for the players to gain valuable experience and consistently perform against top-class opponents.
West Indies, featuring several inexperienced batsmen in the first Test against Australia, encountered a challenging time against the formidable pace attack, resulting in scores of 188 and 120 and a comprehensive 10-wicket defeat within three days. One bright spot in the batting was the performance of 23-year-old Kirk McKenzie, who scored a fluent half-century in the first innings and 26 in the second.
McKenzie’s example as an inspiration
Brathwaite cited McKenzie’s example as an inspiration for the entire batting group, highlighting that they should draw confidence from facing the number one team and bowlers in the world. He emphasized the importance of mental toughness and the belief that runs can be scored against elite bowlers, even when facing consistent pressure.
Despite the quality of the Australian bowlers, Brathwaite encouraged his young batsmen to remain resilient and take advantage of opportunities when they arise, emphasizing that maintaining mental strength is key to success against such formidable opposition.
