Background
Kraigg Brathwaite, West Indies Test captain since March 2021, has resigned to make way for smooth transition before next home series against Australia. The series will be the beginning of new ICC World Test Championship cycle, and that was the team that informed CWI in the first half of this year before they left for their tour of Pakistan that Brathwaite has resigned.
Reason for Resignation
Brathwaite’s resignation seems to be warranted in his need to concentrate on improving his batting, especially considering that he will be playing in his 100th Test. CWI’s statement criticizes his desire to create continuity and transition space for new leadership.
Future Leadership
CWI has not yet appointed Brathwaite’s Test captaincy. They will do so in the coming weeks. Shai Hope has, however, been appointed new T20I captain in Rovman Powell’s place and will also continue ODI captain, indicating a longer leadership re-arrangement.
Detailed Analysis of Kraigg Brathwaite’s Resignation as West Indies Test Captain
West Indies Test captain Kraigg Brathwaite’s resignation is a wake-up call for the team, especially as it comes at the start of the new ICC World Test Championship cycle and ahead of the series with Australia that could make or break them. The sub-section is an exhaustive account, from contrary sources, to have the entirety of the circumstances of the occurrence, its interpretation, and context.
Context and Timeline
32-year-old Kraigg Brathwaite replaced Jason Holder as West Indies Test captain in March 2021. During his captaincy from 2017-2025, he captained in 39 Tests, winning 10 and losing 22. Pinch moments during his captaincy were a record Test victory by Australia in January 2024 at Gabba, 27 years patiently waiting, 1-1 series drawn by Pakistan in 2025, and a 1-0 home series victory by England in 2022. Those were during his captaincy when pressure was being put on West Indies cricket to continue with its own early supremacy of the game.
He resigned on 31 March, 2025, and had already provided CWI administration with adequate notice last week, at the end of the Pakistan tour, which had been a massive success for the team. The planning seems to be strategically well thought of, in the interest of having ample time to acclimatize himself to the new role prior to Australia returning home in June and July 2025, when the two games would have been his 99th and 100th Test match appearances, respectively.
Official Statement and Reasoning
In a report by Espncricinfo quoting CWI’s statement in their own words, Brathwaite made the decision based on continuity and seamless transition. The release states: “Kraigg Brathwaite has officially resigned as Test captain, having enlisted CWI leaders first earlier this year before the successful West Indies tour of Pakistan had been completed. In appreciation of consistency, Brathwaite wanted to give the team adequate time to acclimatise before his departure. With that in mind, he has resigned before the home series against Australia, allowing the new leadership a chance to get familiar. The series will be even more special, giving Brathwaite, two games short of 100 Test matches, the liberty to play more aggressively as a batter without the added pressure.”
This is a sign that batting is Brathwaite’s number one priority, particularly since he has 100 Test matches to his name. His 98 Tests, 5,935 runs at 33.15 batting average batting career, according to BBC Sport, begins as an opening bat.
Leadership Transition and Broader Changes
CWI had proved weeks ago that there was going to be a new Test captain to be named, but none have been named as such till now. That wait tells you a lot about a serious selection process, maybe to allow the new captain to settle a bit after being part of a whole different set of championships. That new captainship is not only in Test cricket because Shai Hope, 31 years old, has taken up the new T20I captainship following Rovman Powell, captain since May 2023. Hope, ODI side captain as well, has experience since he has also captained the 50-over team as well, and his appointment was approved by head coach Daren Sammy, according to Espncricinfo. Sammy has attributed Hope’s level head and even temperament in trying times as the breaking of a golden new era of West Indies cricket in all the formats of the game. Brathwaite’s resignation is ushering a new era into West Indies Test cricket, never having a chance to compete, finishing eighth in the current World Test Championship table, reports BBC Sport.
The table below summarizes the key leadership changes:
| Role | Previous Captain | New Captain | Effective Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test Captain | Kraigg Brathwaite | To be announced | Post-March 2025 | Brathwaite led since March 2021, resigns for batting focus, new captain soon. |
| T20I Captain | Rovman Powell | Shai Hope | March 31, 2025 | Hope also ODI captain, replaces Powell since May 2023, advised by Sammy. |
This dual transition reflects CWI’s strategy to stabilize leadership across formats, especially with upcoming tours to England and Ireland for T20Is in June, ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka.
Implications and Future Outlook
His resignation at the beginning of a new cycle is an open invitation to make way for new leadership to bring some energy into the team, especially against hard sides such as Australia. Batting specialist at his side so close to 100 Tests is not expected but in keeping with his own playing career aspirations, and he may be an even more powerful player with no administrative concerns. Shai Hope’s promotion to T20I and ODI leadership is a case of white-ball leadership integration which may well be able to ensure strategy becoming more effective in either short form or both.
There is little more room for speculation, however, with announcement much later in Test captaincy saga, and certainly rumor-milking by the public, though names such as Alzarri Joseph have been in past cases, as was earlier found in Trinidad and Tobago Newsday, though no nominations ever have indeed been made. CWI President Dr. Kishore Shallow, as reported by Sportsmax, justified the move by stating that they had to start afresh as the team embarks on the championship journey. That also entails an unprecedented overhaul, perhaps due to the recent failure of the team, i.e., not featuring at the 2023 ODI World Cup and being left out of the Champions Trophy, Cricket.one reported.
Public and Expert Reactions
Where Brathwaite himself was not being quoted directly, CWI admiration, as noted by The Sportstak, is his commitment, documenting achievements such as the 2024 Brisbane win. Specialist commentary, even from head coach Daren Sammy, also sees hope in Hope’s captaincy, but the Test captaincy role can be tricky with the public and pundits due to the team’s previous greatness and present scandals.
And finally, Brathwaite’s resignation is unexpected, career personal choice and leadership style unit. The new leadership will be tested during the next series against Australia, but Hope’s inclusion provides the option of a two-pronged approach in white-ball cricket and can get West Indies cricket back in the saddle.