Kraigg Brathwaite replaces Holder as Windies Test Captain

JAMAICA (AFP): Kraigg Brathwaite will replace Jason Holder as the West Indies Test Captain with a two-Test series against Sri Lanka coming up this month, Cricket West Indies said Thursday.

Brathwaite has previously led the team in seven Tests while deputizing for Holder, including in the recent 2-0 Test Series win away to Bangladesh. “It is a huge honour to be given the Captaincy of the West Indies Test team,” Brathwaite said.

“I feel extremely proud and humbled that the Board and Selectors have given me the opportunity and responsibility to lead the team.

“The recent Test Series win in Bangladesh was a fantastic achievement and I’m really looking forward to the upcoming home series against Sri Lanka and I’m excited about what I believe this team can achieve in the future.” The squad for the first Test against Sri Lanka, scheduled for March 21-25, will be announced on Friday.

Roger Harper, CWI lead selector, said selectors were impressed that in Bangladesh Brathwaite “was able to motivate his players to play to a very high level and create the culture we are looking to establish where the team showed a collective determination to fight and a real hunger for success.”

Holder, the 29-year-old who was named captain of the Test team in 2015, was one of several players who opted not to tour Bangladesh because of Covid-19 related concerns.

The current number one all-rounder in the ICC Test rankings, Holder captained the West Indies team in 37 Tests, leading the side to 11 wins, five draws and 21 defeats.

“On behalf of CWI, I would like to thank Jason for all he has given to the game in the region while serving as Captain of our Test team,” CWI director of cricket Jimmy Adams said.

“As the world’s leading Test all-rounder, we all believe that Jason still has a tremendous role to play in West Indies Test Cricket for many years to come.”