Kraigg Brathwaite Steps Down As West Indies Test Captain

In a significant development for West Indies cricket, Kraigg Brathwaite has stepped down as captain of the West Indies Test team as they prepare for a home series. His resignation was the result of contemplation and planning to allow for the best transition of captaincy before an upcoming home series against Australia. Cricket West Indies (CWI) stated that a new Test captain would be appointed in the coming weeks.

Kraigg Brathwaite Steps Down As West Indies Test Captain: An Era of Transition

Kraigg Brathwaite formally stepped down as the West Indies Test captain, a position he has occupied since 2021, after captaining the team in 39 Test matches between 2017 and 2025.

The move, which Brathwaite had already consulted with CWI leadership this year, gives the team time to transition before their crucial home series against Australia. Brathwaite’s resignation gives the new captain sufficient time to acclimatize to the captaincy position.

Brathwaite’s captaincy has been marked by outstanding success, including the historic Gabba win in Australia in January 2024 and a 1-1 Pakistan-drawn series in 2025. As captain, the team has also won a 1-0 England home series in 2022.

This series in Australia will be a special one for Brathwaite, as he just needs two matches to reach his 100th Test match. With the extra responsibility of captaincy lifted, Brathwaite is now able to concentrate on his batting.

Kraigg Brathwaite’s Leadership: A Legacy of Discipline and Resilience

Kraigg Brathwaite is recognized for his time as captain, during which he brought discipline, grit, and a wealth of knowledge about the game to the role.

Miles Bascombe, Director of Cricket for CWI, described Brathwaite’s captaincy and leadership qualities as exemplary and acknowledged the shared leadership that combined to create some historic moments in West Indies cricket.

Brathwaite has led West Indies to a series of memorable victories that will have an impact on the future of West Indies cricket for years to come: moments that I know will be forever etched in the minds of the players, the team management staff, and CWI.

Bascombe also began to provide some of the highlights of Brathwaite and acknowledged Brathwaite’s value as a senior player on the team as an important factor beyond captaincy for the team moving forward.

Brathwaite steps down from captaincy but not before leaving a tangible mark characterized by recent success visible in his contributions as a leading performer on the team and as a contributing member of the team.

Shai Hope Assumes West Indies T20I Captaincy

Apart from Brathwaite’s resignation, Shai Hope has been named the new T20I captain in place of Rovman Powell, who had captained the T20 team since May 2023. Hope, the current ODI captain, will now also captain the T20I team.

The appointment of Hope as the T20I captain was made after consulting head coach Daren Sammy, who suggested the promotion. Powell, who captained the team to historic wins against India, England, and South Africa, took the move in professional spirit, and Bascombe recognized his tremendous contribution to the team.

Rovman Powell’s Contribution to West Indies Cricket

As Powell is relinquishing the T20I captaincy, Bascombe underscored Powell’s leadership importance. With Powell as their captain, the West Indies T20I team experienced massive changes, including record-breaking home series victories. Bascombe assured Powell that his work was much appreciated and that he had built a solid platform for the success of the T20I team in the future.

Shai Hope’s Appointment as T20I Captain: A Progressive Move for West Indies Cricket

Head coach Daren Sammy said he was convinced that Shai Hope’s elevation as T20I captain is a “progressive shift” for West Indies cricket. Sammy pointed to Hope’s achievement with the 50-over team over the past 18 months and his capacity to marry intuitive decision-making with analytical accuracy.

Hope’s level-headedness under pressure, along with meticulous preparation and deep match analysis, make him an attractive bet to captain the T20I side.

Sammy highlighted that Hope’s style of leadership is team performance and player-based, which will be critical because the West Indies are still developing. His reflective manner of strategizing and leadership is felt to be critical for the team’s future success in T20 cricket.

A New Era of Leadership for West Indies Cricket

With Kraigg Brathwaite standing down as West Indies Test captain and Shai Hope taking over as the T20I captain, West Indies cricket is in a new leadership era. While Brathwaite moves away from the captaincy, his legacy of discipline and resilience will still inspire the team. In the meantime, Hope’s ascension to the T20I captaincy represents a good turn for the team as they aim to consolidate on their recent triumphs.

Cricket West Indies will then focus on finding a new Test captain over the next few weeks so the transition can go smoothly and be well-equipped for their next endeavors, including facing Australia at home and beyond.

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