BRATHWAITE’S LOVE FOR CRICKET CONTINUES AS BE CAPTAINS BARBADOS PRIDE

by David Harris

After playing first-class cricket for 17 years and captaining the West Indies Test team on 39 occasions opening batsman Kraigg Brathwaite is still in love with cricket.  Brathwaite, 33, made his first-class debut for Barbados at the age of 16 in 2009. 

Two years later, Brathwaite made his Test debut against Pakistan, since then; Brathwaite has played 100 Tests matches and scored 5950 runs including 12 centuries, he captained the West Indies in 39 Test matches from March 2021 before resigning from the position in March last year.  

Brathwaite has played 60 matches for Barbados Pride and is captaining the team in this year’s revamp regional first-class season. Barbados finished third in the tournament after playing three- matches against Jamaica Scorpions.   

Barbados lost the first match against at Chedwin Park, but rebounded and draw the second match at Sabina Park after scoring over 600 runs (Brathwaite scored 176) in their first innings, and comprehensively defeated the Scorpions by an inning and 11 runs in the third match at the same venue to finish third on the six-team table on 42.2 points. 

Ahead of them were the defending champions Guyana Harpy Eagles on 63.8 points, and Trinidad and Tobago Red Force on 53.6 points. 

Brathwaite spoke about what keeps him motivated to play cricket in a wide-ranging interview with journalists at the National Sports Council facility at Blenheim, on eve of Barbados’ departure for Antigua where they will play archrivals Trinidad & Tobago in the playoff in the regional four-day competition. 

 “I still love the game. The game has done a lot for me. I can recall when I was younger and playing for Barbados’ Under-15 and Under-19 teams I aspired to play for the West Indies; cricket is something that is close to my heart. In terms of motivation for myself, I am still motivated to do well for Barbados, and being captain of the team has always been an honour for me. I always enjoyed being a leader on and off the field because the captain’s job does not end when you have left the field”, Brathwaite said. 

The veteran cricketer explained that playing alongside younger cricketers in the team provides him with the opportunity to mentor them and share the knowledge he has acquired over the years as professional 

Brathwaite said another motivation is the opportunity he has an opening batsman to lay the foundation which make it easier for the younger batsmen in the team when they are batting.   

“Another thing that motivates me is the small things I can do at the crease to take the pressure off the younger batsmen. For example, batting for an hour helps make it easier for Jonathan Drakes who bats at number three, and Kevin Wickham coming at number four, so the motivation is always there. I love playing red-ball cricket. It is never easy, but at the same time I enjoy the fight and being able to show guys what it takes to perform at this level for a sustainable period,” Brathwaite said. 

 He stated that it is important that young cricketers understand that sport is not only about success and doing well but they also have to learn to deal with failure. 

“It is critical that young cricketers understand that cricket is not only about winning and performing well; it is important that they learn to deal with failure.  At the beginning of the matches in Jamaica some of the guys did not score runs. But in the final match Jonathan scored a century, and Shayne Moseley also scored runs. This is the type of character that I like to see. As the captain of the team when I see players performing in that manner. I know that my time being around these guys was worth it”, Brathwaite said. 

“I don’t want guys thinking that cricket is easy – and they will play for Barbados and do well and that it. They have to go through tough periods – if they aspire to play Test cricket, I don’t think they will believe that they can score runs every innings. They have to deal with pressure and overcome it. And those are the kind of things that I am always willing to let young cricketers know”, he added. 

Brathwaite praise Wickham for his outstanding batting in Jamaica, the 23 –year old scored three consecutive centuries against the Scorpions. 

“Kevin worked hard after not having a good season in 2025. I am proud of the way he stepped up to the plate in Jamaica; he has a bright future ahead of him”, Brathwaite said.