No sooner had the West Indies plummeted to another series defeat in a format most would say suits their style of play than an announcement arrived straight from the Caribbean. It’s one that promises perhaps surprise and pleasantness in equal measure.
For a team that has had very little say in dominating charts in the T20 format this year, it does offer a lot of hope and promises to hear about a development most Windies fans would want the administrators and selectors to latch on to.
Dwayne Bravo, one of the most experienced, charismatic and successful all-rounders in the modern era to have come from the West Indies has come out of retirement, having called it quits well over 3 years ago.
The last that he would play for the West Indies, donning the familiar maroons was in 2016. Since then, Bravo, popular as DJ, someone who’s lent the boisterous West Indian brand of play some flair and all-round success has been representing various T20 leagues around the world, continuing to be an integral part of both the Indian Premier League and the Caribbean Premier League.
Why Dwayne Bravo’s return seems exciting?
But there’s more substance than a merely bland promise in Bravo’s sudden and what one might call, even stunning decision.
At a time where the team- a two time World Cup- winner in cricket’s most entertaining format, as one would put it- needs a major boost to uplift what have been fading fortunes of late (as seen in 2019), Dwayne Bravo’s return from the sidelines offers a glimmer of hope for the 2020 campaign.
With the fiery fiesta; the T20 World Cup being only a few months away; the Kieron Pollard-led side, currently in the process of inducting a new concrete structure in the T20 format, would do well to hold on to some experience.
And there’s plenty in two-time World T20-winner Dwayne Bravo.
Bravo may not be a cricketer whose batting averages perfectly justify his talent.
Adding experience and power
But the Trinidadian boasts of the ability to up the strike rates, when needed, and anchor an innings, qualifies that point to strong area, and warrant respect in what has been a flourishing if also tumultuous international West Indian career.
Many wouldn’t forget Bravo joining hands with Darren Sammy in the World T20,2014 as together the duo would dismantle Pakistan, giving Windies a thumping win in the unlikeliest of circumstances at Bangladesh.
Arriving at the team sliding downhill at 4-67 in 11 overs, it took Bravo 4 sixes and 2 boundaries at a hefty strike rate of 176 to guide Windies to an unlikely 166, a game they’d win by a margin of 84 runs in the end.
Moreover, Dwayne Bravo’s rise to bowling prominence thanks to a near-perfect ability to deliver the cunningly deceptive slower ball has earned his team as many wins as giving the Trini a flourishing fan base.
Most would still recollect Yuvraj Singh’s tumbled stumps at the 2006 Kingston thriller, a contest Bravo’s magnificent slower delivery turned into a live wire of a game after back to back boundaries in the very same over nearly made it India’s game.
With an experience of playing 66 international T20s for the West Indies, having twice contributed significantly to victorious T20 campaigns.
Possessing a keen cricketing brain and agility, Dwayne Bravo could still have a lot to offer a team that’s ailing but still promises fireworks and the quintessential Caribbean dash.
But ultimately, it’ll be up to to the selectors to make the right call.
Dwayne Bravo’s T20 record:
66 matches, 1142 runs, 4 fifties, strike rate of 116, 52 wickets, best bowling of 4/28.
