As West Indies and Australia brace for the second Test of their three-match series, all eyes will be on veteran opener Kraigg Brathwaite, who is set to become just the 10th West Indian to play 100 Test matches, a momentous personal milestone amid a broader team effort to bounce back from a 159-run defeat in Barbados.
Brathwaite has led the Caribbean side in 39 of those Test outings, which is a milestone in and of itself, as only legends Clive Lloyd (74), Sir Viv Richards (50), and Brian Lara (47) have captained the West Indies on more occasions. Though he has relinquished the captaincy, Brathwaite remains a pillar in an evolving West Indies side hungry for consistency, and his durability will again come into sharp focus as the team looks to regroup and respond when the second encounter bowls off in Grenada on Thursday.
While the result of the first Test was disappointing, there were silver linings for the regional side. Wicketkeeper Shai Hope and captain Roston Chase made credible returns to the format, scoring 48 and 44, respectively, while Shamar Joseph reaffirmed his status as one of Test cricket’s most exciting young pacers. The 25-year-old took nine wickets to bring his career tally against Australia to 22, at a remarkable strike rate of 23.5 balls per wicket.
Still, West Indies will need much more from their top four—Brathwaite, John Campbell, Keacy Carty, and Brandon King—especially on a surface known to favour pace. All three previous Test victories at Grenada’s National Stadium have come while batting second, with seamers having the edge over spinners.
Significantly, this Test marks uncharted territory for the visitors, as Australia have never played a Test in Grenada, and none of their current players have featured at the venue. Their only previous match in the “Spice Isle” was a 2008 ODI, long before the debuts of any current squad members.
Despite their eight-run loss to West Indies in 2024, Australia’s recent record against the Caribbean side remains dominant 17 wins and four draws in their last 22 meetings. But Grenada could prove a different challenge, as it will be their first meeting at the National Stadium in St George’s.
On the individual front, Jayden Seales added another dimension to the pace battery with his third Test five-for, which pushed his bowling strike rate to an elite 38.7 and placed him fourth all-time for bowlers with at least 75 wickets. England’s George Lohmann (34.1), South Africa’s Marco Jansen (38.0), and New Zealand’s Shane Bond (38.7) are the top three on that list.
Left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican has quietly built a formidable record in 2025, as he has so far tallied 19 wickets at an average of just 10, the best of any bowler with more than 10 wickets this year.
Meanwhile, Mitch Starc needs just nine wickets to become the fourth Australian to reach the 400-wicket milestone, joining Shane Warne (708), Glenn McGrath (563), and Nathan Lyon (556). Lyon himself is on the cusp of overtaking McGrath in the all-time wicket charts, as he requires just eight to move into sixth place globally.
Australia’s wicketkeeper Alex Carey enters in prolific form, having scored 362 Test runs in 2025, which is the most of any wicketkeeper worldwide this year. Teammates Usman Khawaja (406) and Steve Smith (388) are the only Australians ahead of him in that span.
Though the West Indies’ recent form may suggest Australia hold the edge, the Darren Sammy-coached side could draw confidence from history. Their last appearance at the National Stadium in St George’s was a commanding 10-wicket win over England in 2022.
(Sportsmax)
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