Carlos Brathwaite has branded West Indies’ performance in the opening Test against England as “definitely not good enough” and believes the team should have prepared for the series by playing in Ireland.
West Indies were trounced by an innings and 114 runs in the first Test at Lord’s. Ahead of the second Test in Nottingham on Thursday, former West Indies all-rounder Brathwaite has urged the team to prepare better for future tours in England.
“I think the planning could have definitely been better,” Brathwaite said, speaking on the latest episode of The Vaughany and Tuffers Cricket Club podcast from Telegraph Sport.
Before the series, West Indies sent an academy side to Ireland. The team lost both first-class games and were also whitewashed 3-0 in the one-day series. Brathwaite believes that the Test players should have gone to Ireland to prepare for the England series, rather than use the Ireland tour to give younger players experience.
“I had a few chats with a few people, there was a West Indies emerging versus Emerging Ireland in Ireland,” said Brathwaite, who hit four consecutive sixes to win the 2016 T20 World Cup final against England in Kolkata. “I think at this stage with the West Indies, we’re looking to cast the net as wide as we possibly can to get as much cricket as we possibly can. But then we forget that the boys at Test level actually aren’t playing a lot of cricket either.
“People would argue, well, does playing in Ireland prepare you for facing Jimmy Anderson at Lord’s? But I’d rather prepare by facing subpar bowling in Ireland – with all due respect to their players – than face subpar bowling in the West Indies, if I’m coming to England.”
West Indies’s full Test squad played only a solitary three-day match in Beckenham before the first Test at Lord’s. The intense schedule for the series also leaves no room for warm-up games in between Tests.
In 2018, Pakistan prepared for their series in England by facing Ireland in a Test match in Dublin. After beating Ireland by five wickets, Pakistan then thrashed England at Lord’s.
Brathwaite believes that the current West Indies team are still finding their identity as a Test side. He urged the batsmen to be more aggressive at Trent Bridge.
“They’ve gone from that calypso and a little bit of flair and being exciting, to now trying to be this prim and proper Test cricket [team]. And they haven’t quite struck the balance yet. And I think they will eventually, but I’d like to see them come and give it a good go.
“If it’s in your area, play shots. When we bring players from first-class cricket who’ve had success being flair players and expressive, allow them to be expressive.”
Brathwaite also fears that a lack of continuity in selection is hampering the side. Guyana’s opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul, who has played 10 Tests and averages 32.9, was dropped for the tour of England.
“Tagenarine Chanderpaul was on the last trip. He’s not here now. So if there’s no consistency in selection, then you don’t always harbour the freedom for the players to be able to express themselves and fail.”
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