In a major development in West Indies cricket circles, Kraigg Brathwaite, the long-serving West Indies opening batsman and former Test captain, is not expected to be offered a central contract by Cricket West Indies (CWI) for the 2025 to 2026 season.
The 32-year-old Brathwaite, who has been a mainstay at the top of the Test batting order for over a decade, is set to be omitted from the players offered contracts.
He has instead been offered a domestic contract with Barbados Pride, following the regional players’ draft, which was held via online meeting on Monday with little fanfare.
CWI has not yet announced its list of regional contracted players for the six franchises, nor has it unveiled the centrally contracted players.
In a brief statement to NATION online on Friday afternoon, the regional governing body noted: “CWI is currently undertaking its annual player evaluation process, with the intent to provide the CWI Board of Directors (by September 30) with a list of recommended players to be offered international contracts for the upcoming contract period. Therefore, until such recommendations are made, and approval granted, CWI cannot confirm what players will be offered contracts for the period October 1 (2025) to September 30 (2026)”.
Brathwaite’s likely omission comes amid a lean run with the bat in recent series, though he remains one of the most experienced players in the region, having led the Test side since 2021 and is the tenth West Indian to make 100 Test matches appearances.
The Barbados Cricket Association’s senior men’s selection panel has made several changes to their list of contracted players. Middle-order batsman Shaq Parris, along with all-rounders Joshua Bishop and Shamar Springer, have been included.
Parris played for the Combined Campuses and Colleges; Bishop for West Indies Academy, while Springer was on the books of Windward Islands Volcanoes last season.
It has also been confirmed that West Indies Test vice-captain Jomel Warrican has moved up to the CWI centrally contracted list. (PS)
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