Daren Sammy has launched a pointed critique of West Indies’ first-class cricket system just as the team prepares to start its 2025–27 ICC World Test Championship campaign with a high-stakes home series against a depleted Australia.
Selection driven by data, not sentiment
Head coach Sammy defended the decision to drop batters Kavem Hodge and Alick Athanaze, citing performance analytics as the guiding principle for squad selection.
“I had the analysts dive into the top three teams in the world and the different batting positions… and then we compared them to ours,” Sammy told The Trinidad and Tobago Guardian, as quoted by Wisden.
Hodge and Athanaze, who averaged 25.27 and 25.08 respectively during the last WTC cycle, were not selected. “As Dominicans, we want our players to perform well, but we must not get emotional,” Sammy added.
Still in the system, but not the right fit
Sammy clarified that the players had not been discarded but do not currently align with the team’s data-driven roles. “These guys just played in the ‘A’ team series… However, it is not the end of the road for them,” he said.
‘Averaging 25 won’t bring us success’
Sammy criticized the normalization of mediocrity in West Indies cricket: “We are doing Hodge and Alick a disservice by glorifying an average of 25… It shows how poor our system is.”
WI squad’s first-class averages reveal deep issues
Only uncapped Kevlon Anderson (44.44) averages above 40 in first-class cricket among batters selected for the Australia Tests. Kraigg Brathwaite (37.99) and Tevin Imlach (35.84) are the only others averaging above 35.
| Player | First-class average |
|---|---|
| Kevlon Anderson | 44.44 |
| Kraigg Brathwaite | 37.99 |
| John Campbell | 31.38 |
| Keacy Carty | 27.42 |
| Brandon King | 34.53 |
| Mikyle Louis | 34.66 |
| Shai Hope | 34.95 |
| Tevin Imlach | 35.84 |
| Roston Chase | 34.4 |
| Justin Greaves | 29.67 |
Test performance since 2020 paints a bleak picture
Only Nkrumah Bonner has averaged above 35 in Tests since 2020. No Caribbean batter has managed an average over 40 in that time frame, underscoring systemic issues.
| Player | Matches | Runs | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nkrumah Bonner | 15 | 803 | 38.23 |
| Kraigg Brathwaite | 39 | 2439 | 32.95 |
| Tagenarine Chanderpaul | 10 | 560 | 32.94 |
| Kyle Mayers | 18 | 949 | 32.72 |
| Jermaine Blackwood | 28 | 1536 | 30.11 |
| Kavem Hodge | 11 | 556 | 25.27 |
| Alick Athanaze | 13 | 627 | 25.08 |
Full West Indies squad vs Australia
Roston Chase (Captain), Jomel Warrican (Vice Captain), Kevlon Anderson, Kraigg Brathwaite, John Campbell, Keacy Carty, Justin Greaves, Shai Hope, Tevin Imlach, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Johann Layne, Mikyle Louis, Anderson Phillip, Jayden Seales.
With the first Test beginning June 25, Sammy’s message is clear: West Indies cricket must demand more from its players and overhaul a system that too often rewards mediocrity.
