With the Test series against Sri Lanka now concluded, one issue that has stirred much debate is the retention of Roston Chase as captain.

The Barbadian began leading the team in May 2025, succeeding fellow countryman Kraigg Brathwaite. His record as captain, after eight games, stands at one draw and seven losses, which could be viewed as unsatisfactory. But then he is captain of the West Indies, not a team realistically expected to have a winning record. And so, after reviewing his brief tenure, should he have retained his position?

My answer would be no. It has to be said, however, that captaining the West Indies is no easy feat. The Caribbean Test side is not among the better ones and, therefore, are not expected to beat most of the teams they will go up against. You always plump for your team to do well, of course, but expectations need to be reasonable. And in the case of West Indies cricket the talent available has been quite inadequate recently, especially compared to what obtained years ago when “The Islands” ruled the world.

And so, while it could be argued that the results would likely be the same no matter who was at the helm, it cannot be ignored that Chase’s performance has been well below par. He has averaged 13.81 in eight games as captain. In the 49 games he played before being appointed his average was 26.33 with five centuries and 11 50s. His bowling, not the most demanding to begin with, though often important to his team, fell off a cliff as well, and he now averages almost 71 runs per wicket.

Essentially, a side so shorn of elite players cannot afford a captain who is producing so little. On current form, Chase is not good enough to make the side and, therefore, should not have remained at the helm.

It’s hard to know what Darren Sammy and the selectors were thinking. This is a predicament that could have been seen a mile away. Prior to being named captain, Chase was not in possession of a regular spot on the team. In fact, he had not played a Test in two years. He had no form at the time, so why did they think he’d suddenly be worthy of a spot?

And if that were not enough, they chose Barbadian Jomel Warrican as vice-captain, another player who had failed to nail down a place in the team. Of the eight Tests played since then, Warrican has appeared in three. What this means is that neither the captain nor his deputy are major contributors to the overall performance of the team.

This is not a sustainable way to run any side. More than any other player, the captain is more important than the runs he scores, the wickets he snares, or his work in the field. But he still needs to supply his fair share of numbers to the cause, especially in a struggling side.

Mike Brearley, who led England some decades ago, did not deserve to open the batting based on his ability as a batter, yet his captaincy was viewed almost as sorcery. Not only was he a good man-manager and tactician, he had a very good team lined up behind him. Ian Botham, Bob Willis, David Gower, and Geoffrey Boycott were all greats of the game who thrived under Brearley’s leadership and did some of their best work. Their contributions during his tenure meant that England were not reliant on his runs, and the inspiration he provided, along with the good luck he received in not squaring up against the then mighty West Indies, somewhat compensated for his lack of production.

Chase has not been as fortunate. I know nothing of his people skills and, frankly speaking, it would hardly matter if he were a tactical genius due to the relatively limited skills of his team. No matter his guile, he would still need bowlers, batters, and fielders with the ability to execute his plans.

Not that his team is without talent. The pace bowling is very decent, threatening at times. And batters like Shai Hope, Brandon King, John Campbell, Justin Greaves and others have chipped in with a few good scores. But the West Indies Test team has not been operating at a consistently high level and need all the help it can get. This means, therefore, that they cannot afford players who are just along for the ride.

They try their hardest, I’m sure, but their team consistently suffers from a significant shortage of runs and wickets. The captain offering 13 runs per innings as he has been doing since he was appointed should not be tolerated for long. And while it has to be admitted that there is not a long line of worthy replacements to take his middle order spot, there are a few who might be considered.

Kevin Wickham and Kirk McKenzie both had good red-ball seasons in which they scored three and two centuries, respectively, at high averages. McKenzie has had fleeting success, while Wickham should certainly be given an opportunity if the runs continue. There may be little left in the cupboard, but it’s not totally bare.

But then, if Chase loses his place, the obvious issue which leaps to the fore is this: Who then should be named captain? There is no straightforward answer. John Campbell, Brandon King, Justin Greaves, Joshua da Silva, and Shai Hope all have some fair level of experience. The new captain should come from that group. They could hardly do any worse.

garfield.v.robinson@gmail.com

Garfield Robinson