Kraigg Brathwaite

Born on December 1, 1992, Kraigg Clairmonte Brathwaite is a Barbadian cricketer who currently captains the West Indies in Test matches. He occasionally bowls off-break and bats right-handed. Notably, on November 6, 2011, he crafted a resilient innings of 63 runs (212 balls) against India in Delhi, etching his name in history as the second West Indian to achieve two Test fifties before turning nineteen. In seven Test matches, he has adeptly taken on the role of Jason Holder's stand-in captain before eventually assuming the position as the team's regular captain, succeeding Holder. He looks up to Shivnarine Chanderpaul, both as a cricketing icon and for his batting technique.

At the young age of sixteen, Brathwaite marked his entry into first-class cricket, showcasing his talent as the opening batsman for Barbados and notching up an impressive seventy-three runs. In 2009, amidst a Test series against Bangladesh, he received a call-up to the West Indies squad owing to a strike by senior players, leading to the West Indies Cricket Board offering him a contract. Known for his patient batting style, reminiscent of Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Brathwaite earned a spot in the West Indies Under-19 World Cup team for the 2010 edition held in New Zealand. Displaying his prowess, he emerged as the highest run-scorer for the West Indies, securing the second position overall with a tally of 335 runs, featuring four half-century innings. In 2011, he transitioned to the senior team, making his Test series debut at home against Pakistan.

Brathwaite exhibits remarkable focus and concentration while positioning himself to confront international bowlers at the crease, resembling the tranquility of a monk. His batting approach is aesthetically pleasing and uncomplicated. Infrequently does he extend beyond the body while relishing his penchant for driving the ball. To encapsulate Kraigg as a batsman, one can highlight his robust foundation and an impervious method.

Personal Life

In Barbados' Saint Michael region, Brathwaite was a student at Combermere School. He shares a significant and close-knit relationship with the esteemed Barbadian artist Rihanna, and it has been disclosed that their friendship dates back to their school days at Combermere. Particularly during instances when Kraigg faced bullying on the school bus, it is believed that Rihanna consistently intervened to support Brathwaite in overcoming his fears and anxieties. Stepping into the spotlight, Rihanna shielded him from taunts by fellow students during their school years.

Domestic Career

Before being chosen for the West Indian under-15 team in the 2008 Clico International Under-15 Cricket Championships, Brathwaite had accumulated 28 centuries in domestic cricket within Barbados. Making his debut with the West Indies U15 team, he achieved a score of 122. On April 3, 2009, at the age of 16, he marked his entry into first-class cricket against his native Barbados, opening the batting and securing 73 runs. Selected for the Barbados squad, he participated in a match against Guyana at Providence Stadium later in the same month.

During the 2010 ICC U19 Cricket World Cup held in New Zealand, Brathwaite played a vital role as a member of the West Indian U19 squad. Demonstrating his prowess, he amassed a total of 335 runs in 6 innings, securing four fifties with an impressive average of 67, making him the top run-scorer for the team. Additionally, he closely followed South Africa's Dominic Hendricks in the tournament's run-scoring rankings. Subsequently, at the 2012 Under-19 Cricket World Cup in Australia, Brathwaite took on the role of captain for the West Indies under-19 squad in August 2012.

In September 2013, when Brathwaite journeyed to India with West Indies A for an unofficial test series, he concluded the tour with an impressive total of 334 runs in 6 innings, maintaining a solid average of 55.66, including two centuries. Taking on the role of regional 4-day captain for Barbados in January 2014, Brathwaite exhibited his leadership on the field. Notably, as part of the Barbados Regional Super 50 2014 team that clinched the tournament victory, he contributed scores of 2, 29*, 55*, and 36 against Trinidad, Leeward Islands, Guyana, and Trinidad, respectively.

Guiding Barbados as captain, Brathwaite steered the team to an early lead in the first-class season. Noteworthy matches include encounters against Windward Islands, Guyana, Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC), Trinidad, Jamaica, and Barbados, where Brathwaite showcased his cricket prowess. Recognizing his skills, Cricket West Indies (CWI) awarded him a red-ball contract in October 2018 for the 2018-19 campaign. Additionally, he secured a contract with Nottinghamshire for the County Championship in 2018, filling the void left by Quinton de Kock, who had to withdraw due to international commitments.

In November 2020, during a match against New Zealand A in Queenstown, Brathwaite achieved his highest first-class score, reaching an impressive 246. Surpassing this milestone, in February 2022, in the 2021-22 West Indies Championship, he amassed 276 runs against Jamaica, marking his 25th century in first-class cricket. Serving as an overseas player, Brathwaite inked a deal with Gloucestershire for the initial two months of the 2021 domestic County Championship season, making him eligible for the club's eight county contests.

International Career

In June 2009, Brathwaite was included in the West Indian team for the Test series against Bangladesh as a substitute for players participating in a walkout organized by the West Indies Players' Association. Subsequently, on May 20, 2011, he made his debut in Test cricket against Pakistan, taking on the role of opening batsman alongside Lendl Simmons.

Following his attempt at a run in the second One-Day International against India in November 2013, Brathwaite earned a call-up to participate in the West Indies' test match series against New Zealand in December, stepping into the vacancy created by Chris Gayle's injury. Brathwaite is also associated with Barbados' Sagicor High Performance Center. Before his arrival in New Zealand, he faced challenges in obtaining the required visa, leading to a two-week delay in boarding the aircraft. Upon his return to the West Indies, Brathwaite notched scores of 45 and 7.

In September 2014, Brathwaite achieved his highest test score of 212 during the inaugural test of the home series against Bangladesh. This remarkable innings played a pivotal role in the West Indies establishing a commanding 484/7 first-innings lead before declaring. His double century in the first innings proved instrumental in securing a ten-wicket victory for the West Indies, compelling the opposing team to follow on and earning Brathwaite the title of player of the match.

In 2015, Brathwaite made history by becoming the first batsman to reach seven runs during the third test match against South Africa at Newlands. This unique accomplishment occurred when the wicketkeeper, AB de Villiers, threw the ball over the stumps at the bowlers' end, causing it to reach the boundary line. This overthrow resulted in Brathwaite earning four additional runs, adding to the three he had already scored before the incident. According to South African cricket statistician Andrew Samson, this marked the first instance of a batsman scoring seven runs in their opening innings.

Brathwaite achieved his best bowling performance in a test match innings with figures of 6/29 during the second test of the 2015 series at the P Sara Oval in Colombo against Sri Lanka. Remarkably, in his initial 20 Test matches, he either took only one wicket or remained wicketless, yet he held the most impressive bowling statistics among all players. Additionally, he secured the highest bowling figures in a test match innings by an opening batter in over five decades, surpassing the record set by Frank Worrell's 7/70 against England in 1957.

Before achieving his career-best figures, Brathwaite had only managed to secure one test wicket with an average of 137, along with three first-class wickets. His bowling prowess came to the forefront in a remarkable performance against Sri Lanka, restricting them to a total of 206 runs. This set the stage for the West Indies, providing them with a relatively manageable 244-run target to win the test. However, the West Indies faced a setback as they were bowled out for just 171 runs, resulting in a 72-run loss in the game.

In the inaugural test of the Sir Frank Worrell Trophy series against Australia in December 2015, hosted at the Blundstone Arena in Hobart, Brathwaite valiantly scored 94 in the second innings. His combative innings accounted for 63.51% of the West Indies' total of 148 runs, marking the fourth-highest percentage of runs by a player in a Test Match. On September 30, 2016, he marked his debut for the West Indies in One Day Internationals (ODIs) against Pakistan.

On November 1, 2016, during the first innings at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Brathwaite etched his name in history by scoring an unbeaten 142 runs. This achievement marked him as the fifth player from the West Indies to accomplish such a feat. Furthermore, he made history as the first opener to remain undefeated in both innings of a Test match.

Assuming the role as the 37th Test captain for the West Indies, Brathwaite was appointed in November 2017 to lead the team in the second Test against New Zealand. This responsibility was bestowed upon him following a one-match suspension for Jason Holder.

His bowling technique came under scrutiny in 2017 when he delivered a few overs at Edgbaston during the opening test against England. Subsequently, the International Cricket Council granted him permission to resume bowling at the international level. In the second test at Headingley, Brathwaite and Shai Hope both scored centuries, securing a game-changing victory that leveled the series at one. Notably, during his impressive 134-run innings that spanned six hours, he forged a historic 246-run partnership with Shai Hope for the fourth wicket.

Following an accusation of a potential second instance of an illegal bowling action in his career during the second test match against India in Kingston, Brathwaite faced a renewed investigation in September 2019. However, the Indian Cricket Council (ICC) clarified that his bowling action was within the permissible limits, affirming his ability to continue bowling in the same month the concern was reported.

In June 2020, Brathwaite was included in the West Indies Test team for their upcoming series against England. The Test series, originally scheduled to commence in May 2020, had to be rescheduled to July 2020 due to the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Captaincy

In December 2020, Brathwaite assumed the role of captain for the West Indies Test team during their series against Bangladesh. The squad comprised several relatively inexperienced players, and yet, under Brathwaite's leadership, this second-string team achieved a remarkable upset by defeating the first-choice Bangladesh side with a 2-0 victory.

In recognition of the West Indies' historic series triumph over Bangladesh, with Kraigg at the helm, he was officially appointed as the permanent test captain in March 2021.

In April 2021, Brathwaite surpassed Darren Bravo's record for the longest duration spent by a Windies batsman at the crease in a test match, accumulating an impressive 813 minutes during the second test of the home series against Sri Lanka. In the opening over of this second test, he achieved his inaugural century as the West Indies captain, amassing a score of 126, thereby breaking free from a recent slump in his batting form. Brathwaite continued his composed performance by contributing 85 runs in the second innings of the test match, which ultimately concluded in a tie. Recognizing his consistent batting display throughout the match, he earned the well-deserved title of the man of the match.

In the West Indies' home test match against England in March 2022, Brathwaite delivered prolonged and impactful performances in each of the three innings, ultimately contributing significantly to the team securing a crucial draw. Exhibiting tremendous endurance, he spent a remarkable 700 minutes at the crease, including an exceptional opening innings where he notched his tenth test century, amassing a score of 160 after batting for eleven hours. Moreover, Brathwaite concluded the test match unbeaten on the last day of play, facing 184 balls. In recognition of his marathon efforts with the bat in both innings, he was rightfully honored as the player of the match. His resilient display played a pivotal role in the West Indies salvaging a tight draw just before the conclusion of the day's play.

During the entirety of the match, Brathwaite exhibited remarkable endurance, spending a total of 15 hours and 45 minutes at the crease, equivalent to 955 minutes. In doing so, he surpassed his own West Indies record for the longest time spent batting. Additionally, Brathwaite established a new record for facing the most deliveries by a West Indian batsman in a test match, with an impressive 673 deliveries encountered in both innings. This achievement marked a significant shift from the record held by Brian Lara before 2004, where Lara faced 582 balls during his historic 400-ball innings.

Brathwaite not only established a record for the third-longest batting stint by a batter in a test match, spending an impressive 955 minutes at the crease, but also ranked behind only Hanif Mohammad's 970+ minutes in 1958 against the West Indies in Barbados and Stephen Fleming's 956 minutes in 2003 against Sri Lanka. During the test match, his on-field presence was limited to just 21.1 overs.

On February 6, 2023, in a match against Zimbabwe, Brathwaite secured his twelfth test century. Partnering with Tagenarine Chanderpaul, the duo amassed 182 runs, setting a record-breaking total of 336 runs. The match ultimately concluded in a draw.

Conclusion

Kraigg Brathwaite's resilient and record-breaking performances showcase his prowess as a consistent and enduring batsman for the West Indies. From historic stints at the crease to setting records, Brathwaite's leadership and batting excellence contribute significantly to the team's success, making him a formidable force in international cricket.