West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite on Wednesday (June 9) said that the upcoming two-match Test series against South Africa is very important to his young team and he is confident that they will be able to continue to show the same “fight and discipline”.
Brathwaite and his team recently won a Test series in Bangladesh, after drawing the series against Sri Lanka and the skipper wants West Indies to maintain this approach in the upcoming Tests against South Africa, starting on June 10, as well as, to be a successful side in Test cricket.
Brathwaite said on the eve of the first Test: “I think this series is a very important one for us. South Africa is a very good Test team. We have shown a lot of fight and discipline in the past two series and we had the right attitude at key moments in the game. We need to maintain this approach in this series because it's the key if you want to be successful in Test cricket.”
Meanwhile, West Indies fast bowler Kemar Roach joined the national Test training squad on Monday after completing quarantine along with his skipper Brathwaite and pacer Alzarri Joseph following their stints in the English county championship.
Roach, who has been brilliant for Surrey, picking up career-best 8/40 against Hampshire, is ready for the first Test against South Africa.
The bowler further added, “I think I have been bowling a lot, obviously in England and the Sri Lanka series before that. My body is prepared. So, it is all about topping up, getting the mind right, getting the confidence going, and take it straight into the first day.”
On the other hand, Joseph said his county experience with the Worcestershire will help him in the upcoming home Test series against South Africa starting on Thursday in St Lucia.
He signed off by saying, “Experience in different conditions will be important to my development and career for the West Indies. I am excited about the upcoming series. It's another opportunity for us to reinforce the great work we have been doing so far this year.”
(With IANS Inputs)
