NEW DELHI: The West Indies cricket team is confronting a profound crisis, suffering consecutive series whitewashes by Australia and India in a streak of five straight Test defeats. This dismal run has revealed not only technical and structural weaknesses but also a troubling erosion of the pride historically associated with the famous maroon cap.
The former titans of the sport have been in steady decline since the 1990s and now frequently struggle to assemble a competitive Test squad, having lost many of their top players to the lucrative franchise cricket circuit.
While few anticipated a sudden reversal of fortunes when Roston Chase was appointed Test captain in May, the five consecutive losses since his appointment underscore the dramatic fall of the erstwhile giants. After Australia swept them 3-0, the humiliation of being bowled out for a mere 27 runs in the final Test in July prompted an emergency meeting that included past legends, though it failed to produce an immediate solution.
Earlier this month, India outclassed the West Indies 2-0, inflicting an innings defeat inside three days in Ahmedabad and enforcing a follow-on in the Delhi Test.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the Delhi match, Captain Roston Chase pointed to financial and facility limitations as factors hindering the team’s potential. “I think the systems in the Caribbean are a bit poor in terms of training facilities and stuff,” Chase stated, though he was careful not to use this as an excuse for the team’s free-fall. “But what I would say is yes, there is obviously a struggle in the Caribbean for finances.”
Financial Resources and a Historical Debt
Head coach Daren Sammy looked to history, arguing that the West Indies did not reap adequate financial rewards during their era of dominance, when they were the driving force of world cricket. He suggested that the global game now owes the West Indies more than just nostalgia.
“It’s like India now. Everybody wants India to tour, because that’s where the financial gains are. India brings that to the home territory. That was West Indies in the past,” Sammy said. “So for now, when… we are in need of those financial resources to help us grow and move forward, I think we deserve that.”
The International Cricket Council (ICC) did not respond to a Reuters email inquiring if it has any plans to help lift West Indies cricket from its current morass.
Batting legend Brian Lara acknowledged the genuine financial constraints and said he does not blame Caribbean players for choosing franchise leagues. However, the former captain questioned whether the fervent passion for wearing the maroon cap—a symbol that unites multiple islands—has diminished.
“We did not have better facilities 30-40 years ago,” Lara remarked in Mumbai last week. “Viv Richards didn’t bat on any better practice pitches or anything. We had to do the same thing, the same grind, but the passion was different. The passion to play for West Indies was different.”
In response to the crisis, Cricket West Indies has announced a series of short-term and long-term measures. These include hiring specialist coaches, establishing a high-performance centre in Antigua, and improving coordination with franchise teams to monitor player fitness.
