As the West Indies men’s cricket squad enters its second day of high-performance training at Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua, opening batsman John Campbell has voiced strong confidence in the team’s preparation, saying a unified tactical approach and full team commitment have put the side in a strong position heading into their upcoming One Day International series against Sri Lanka.
In an exclusive interview with Cricket West Indies Media, Campbell shared his first impressions of the camp’s early sessions, noting that the work the group has put in already is starting to show tangible progress. “Our morning session went really smoothly today,” Campbell explained. “We’ve had structured plans in place for a while, and the way we’ve been rolling those out across these training sessions is really encouraging. We even held detailed conversations before this camp about what we need to adjust and improve as a unit, and right now, it feels like every single player has bought into the vision. We’re definitely moving in the right direction.”
Unlike routine pre-series training camps that focus primarily on fitness refreshers, this 10-day intensive program carries much greater long-term weight for the West Indies. Team leadership has framed the camp as both a direct launchpad for the upcoming ODI series against Sri Lanka, set to be played in Jamaica, and a foundational building block for an ambitious 18-month-wide strategy to reverse the team’s recent fortunes in the 50-over international format.
For Campbell, however, the focus right now stays rooted in the immediate challenge ahead. He emphasized that the team is taking a one-game-at-a-time approach to avoid overlooking any matchup. “Obviously, every international series matters a lot, every game carries real weight for us,” Campbell said. “If we can step onto the pitch and execute our game plan and skills consistently, we’ll put ourselves in a great position to succeed.”
The opening batter also zeroed in on what he sees as the most critical factor for securing a series win: early momentum. Campbell argued that getting off to a fast start in the series would pay huge dividends down the line. “I truly think that if we can start well, if we can grab a win in that opening game, it will give us all the momentum we need to push through and take the series,” he said. “Once you have that solid early platform, you can just keep building on it game after game throughout the whole series.”
Over at Coolidge Cricket Ground, the facility has been a buzzing hub of intense activity throughout the camp. Players have completed grueling skill drills, run through full simulated match scenarios to prepare for game-day conditions, and participated in multiple in-depth tactical planning sessions. Coaching staff have made discipline and consistent execution of game plans core priorities for the entire duration of the 10-day program, as the squad finalizes its preparation for the Sri Lanka series.