How Kraigg Brathwaite’s 2022 has been one of the few rewards for his West Indies

Kraigg Brathwaite scored a stylish ton in the first Test

His career began a decade ago, unless you forgot or didn’t take note. It’s lasted all this while and will go for a few more years. 

Of that, there’s little doubt. 

But none of what Kraigg Brathwaite has come to achieve - and make no mistake- he’s the captain of the Test team- makes a lot of noise. 

Is he to be blamed? Not really, for the quiet ones don’t really appreciate the noise anyway. 

Though, some sound of music is always appreciable, is it not? 

And when it’s soft, it tends to become melodious. Akin to the breezy wind over a sun-drenched Salzburg or the pleasantness in a tropical resort in Barbados. 

Or should one say, much like the gentle sound that the red ball makes when it finds the meat of the bat with Kraigg Brathwaite nudging it away for a two or a slight push towards the cover for a four. 

For someone who brings to the crease a sense of reassurance, it’s not been easy being Kraigg Brathwaite all these years. 

The right hander who took over the reigns of the West Indian Test captaincy from compatriot Jason Holder, in only two calendar years up until now has Kraigg Brathwaite scored runs over an average of 50. 

In 2014, he scored 701 Test runs averaging north of 77. But much of the world’s attention remained with the T20 World Cup and the usual brilliance of Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers. 

Was that even surprising? 

Next up, when the gum chewing mild-mannered West Indies Test skipper averaged a very healthy 55.7 in 2016, scoring no fewer than 613 runs in Tests, it could be said, Brathwaite’s brilliance ran into his cricket team’s. 

The biggest piece of cricketing news in 2016, arguably speaking, was about the West Indians lifting the T20 World Cup, which would be their second title; not an awful lot was reserved to appreciate the Caribbean batsman known for his resolve.  

Nevertheless, Kraigg Brathwaite carried on, studiously and doggedly as ever. 

Much like his precise and focused century against the English this summer that led to one of the rare occasions, where Windies scored in excess of 400 runs in a Test. 

Brathwaite’s 160 at Kensington Oval this year came off 489 deliveries. A knock that derailed, drained and defeated the English in spirit if not on the final scorecard.

Yet, it must be said, in more ways than one has Kraigg Brathwaite been a sort of a blessing for a team that doesn’t have too many sunny days out in the field. 

How’s that though?

For starters, he doesn’t only bat long periods and by the way, he’s already faced north of 12,500 deliveries in Cricket’s sternest form: Test Cricket. 

Kraigg Brathwaite scores vital runs, lots of them, when he can. 

What does, truly speaking, run the risk of being heavily ignored since it has already gone hugely under-reported is the very number of runs that the 30-year-old has scored. 

Lest it is forgotten, Kraigg Brathwaite, who still has 1 more Test and hopefully, 2 more batting outings to go, has conjured 665 runs from merely 6 Tests. 

How many publications, and there are countless in the world as we speak, did you see carrying news pieces or features extending a quick ode to his effort when the same are quick to troll the Windies over social media at the back of a match or series defeat? 

To a side that no longer features Darren Bravo and Shai Hope - two of the finest willow wielders for the West Indies in the longer format- Kraigg Brathwaite with these mountain of runs against his name is a harbinger of joy. 

It’s a signal that not everything about the West Indies sucks. Not everything is headed towards doomsday. 

Moreover, that the man behind that famous 212 against Bangladesh in the Caribbean summer of 2014 is a calm headed leader augurs well. 

It augurs well most particularly for a side where carelessness in batting and on other occasions, a lack of fight shown on the ground has led to embarrassing failures. 

Public mockery even. 

That the Windies have in their ranks a cool cat who likes to stand up to his opponents instead of throwing in the towel is amazing. It’s almost a very DNA-defying sort of a thing being a West Indian. 

You know their love for big shots that so often lead to catching practice in the outfield. 

You’ve seen the swing and a miss on countless occasions. 

All of this seems to suggest that Kraigg Brathwaite in 2022 and beyond, at least, from the looks of it, is a great find for the West Indians. 

They mustn’t let it slip. They should capitalise on this rare gift they’ve got. 

For if the great Bob Marley was amongst us today, I suspect, he’d have wasted no second in saying it loud and clear: for as long as Kraigg’s here… the sun is shining… the weather is sweet. 

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