West Indies dropped a bombshell on Saturday when they omitted experienced opener Kraigg Brathwaite from the starting XI for the third and final Test match against Australia at Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica.Â
The 32-year-old played his 100th Test match last week in Grenada and after a string of failures was axed from the XI in the final content. He failed to reach double figures in the four innings of the series. It is the end of 90-Test run with Brathwaite in the team. The previous instance of West Indies playing a Test without him was against New Zealand in 2014.
Brathwaite, a former Test captain, was replaced by Mikyle Louis at the top of the order and West Indies also omitted Keacy Carty and replaced by Kevlon Anderson, who will make his début. On the Australian side they left out legendary off-spinner Nathan Lyon and included pacer Scott Boland.
Australia lead the three-match series 2-0 following comprehensive wins in Barbados and Grenada. The Jamaica Test match is a day/night contest with the pink ball. It is a historic occasion, the first Test under light in Jamaica and the second in the Caribbean. Play started at 2:30pm (Barbados Time). (PS)
Was on the cards.
Since the beginning of 2023, against major test playing nations, Kraigg Brathwaite averages 19.02 with three fifties and no centuries.