West Indies men’s cricket team head coach Daren Sammy has opened up about his side’s recent ICC World Test Championship campaign, highlighting the steady, impactful leadership of Test captain Roston Chase in the wake of a drawn two-match series against Pakistan. The series ended all square at 1-1 after Pakistan secured an eight-wicket victory over the Caribbean side in the second Test, hosted at Port of Spain’s Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad. This result came on the heels of a solid 1-0 series win against Sri Lanka that West Indies claimed back in July.
Sammy emphasized that Chase’s leadership has been the most uplifting takeaway from the back-to-back Test campaigns. Through the challenging moments the squad and coaching staff have navigated in recent months, the captain’s consistent communication and shared understanding of the team’s long-term goals have proven critical to maintaining team morale and focus. “Roston has never lost his voice in the dressing room,” Sammy noted, adding that Chase maintains remarkable emotional balance regardless of match outcomes: he does not get overconfident after big wins, nor does he let defeat drag down his leadership, a trait that has cemented his status as a reliable anchor for the side. Sammy also praised Chase’s improving individual on-field performances, alongside the hard work of his entire coaching staff, noting that he is proud of the clear progress the entire program has made over the course of the summer.
Reflecting on the two back-to-back Test series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, both part of the ongoing ICC World Test Championship cycle, Sammy said the entire squad has stayed committed to the team’s development process. He pointed to the Sri Lanka series as a particularly standout performance, where the Caribbean side reached significant batting and bowling milestones that had eluded the team for more than a decade. “Against Pakistan we enjoyed the competition, but the look on everyone’s faces after the final Test was one of clear disappointment,” Sammy admitted. “The players knew they had not capitalized on opportunities that would have given them the series win.”
Even with the disappointing end to the Pakistan series, Sammy was quick to commend every player and staff member for staying aligned with the team’s plan, buying into the group’s definition of success, and tuning out external criticism and noise. The head coach added that the team’s batting unit has consistently delivered critical runs throughout the 2024 summer Test window, but identified second-inning batting performance as a key area for continued improvement. He also reserved praise for his bowling attack, noting that the unit has consistently managed to take all 20 opposition wickets in Test matches – a mark of progress that Sammy says he is particularly proud of.
Looking ahead, West Indies is set to wrap up their 2024 Test calendar with a series in Bangladesh, and Sammy says the squad is already focused on finishing the year on a high note. A series win in Bangladesh, he added, would be the perfect icing on the cake for what has already been a period of steady growth for the side. “We’ve been clear with every player about our collective and individual goals,” Sammy said. “It’s critical that everyone stays on the same page about what we want to achieve, and exactly how we plan to get there.”