Once upon a time, a West Indian wicket was earned, not gifted. But in Ahmedabad, India didn’t have to try too hard. Two innings, 308 runs total, and not a single batter lasting long enough to justify the morning session. It’s not a new story; it’s a tired rerun. The question now isn’t why the West Indies are struggling, but how deep the rot runs. The decline isn’t just about poor shot selection or tricky pitches anymore; it’s about an entire cricketing culture losing touch with what Test batting once demanded: time, temperament, and tenacity.
When Preparation Meets a Pitch Too Real
In Ahmedabad, West Indies chose to bat first on a green pitch, brave or naïve, depending on your mood. But even that decision wasn’t their undoing. The problem was visible in the first session: uncertain footwork, half-committed drives, and a lineup that looked foreign to the rhythm of red-ball cricket. Batters who grew up on flat white-ball tracks found themselves guessing lengths they should’ve defended in their sleep.
Good Test batting is about repeatable discipline, not boundary-hitting instincts. West Indian batters today are trapped between muscle memory built for six overs and a format that asks for six hours. The result? A collapse that feels almost scripted.
Mindset on the Margins
When Roston Chase admitted that Caribbean pitches “aren’t really batsman-friendly,” it wasn’t an excuse; it was a confession. Batters back home rarely face the grind of batting 100 balls, let alone a day. Slow outfields rob them of reward, and low-bounce tracks remove confidence. So, when they travel from Gros Islet to Ahmedabad, the step up feels like a leap over a canyon.
And then there’s the psychological fatigue of losing before playing. This team walks into Tests carrying scars from years of underperformance and unrealistic comparisons to legends. The talent isn’t missing, belief is.
Numbers That Refuse to Lie
Let’s put the crisis in perspective: since 2020, a West Indian batter scores a century once every 62 innings. India? Every 14 innings. England, even during their pre-Bazball slump, averaged one every 22. These numbers aren’t mere stats; they’re evidence of a developmental breakdown.
At home, the position is the same. In the Fourth Day’s Tournament, only five out of the ten highest run-getters have averages above 40. In the Ranji Trophy of India, there is not one batsman out of the ten highest who has an average of under 40. The bowlers are in the same position, and the averages are about 18 to 25; therefore, it is not the bowlers. It is the batsmen. West Indian domestic cricket is simply not producing batsmen at all who are being produced to last.
Echoes of the Past
In West Indies cricket, there used to be players like Lara, Chanderpaul, and Hooper, who made it look like scoring hundreds was a certainty. They were trained on difficult pitches, but were taught patience. The youngsters today are trained on YouTube highlights and are rewarded for six hits. The ever-optimistic Daren Sammy is attempting to rewrite the code for Tests, calling up the white-ball regulars like Hope, Campbell, and King, and even courting Sherfane Rutherford.
It’s a bold, England-style experiment picking attitude over averages. But England’s revolution came with infrastructure, depth, and buy-in. Sammy has a belief but no backing. The Caribbean’s best batters are booked for leagues year-round. You can’t rebuild a Test side with players who only show up between T20 contracts.
Key Takeaway: West Indies’ batting crisis isn’t technical, it’s systemic. You can’t score hundreds in Tests if your cricketing culture has stopped preparing you for one.
FAQs
- Why are the West Indies struggling in Test batting?
Because their domestic system no longer produces batters who can build long innings on challenging pitches.
- What can help them improve?
Better first-class pitches, stronger red-ball incentives, and consistent opportunities for young batters to face quality bowling.
- How has T20 cricket affected their Test team?
It’s drawn top batting talent away from the longer format, leaving the West Indies short of players with patience and red-ball temperament.
Disclaimer: This blog post reflects the author’s personal insights and analysis. Readers are encouraged to consider the perspectives shared and draw their own conclusions.
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