Carlos Brathwaite dreams of playing in the Big Bash League

West Indies all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite said that playing in Australia’s Big Bash League would be a dream come true as it will present him with an opportunity to test himself against some of the best players in the world, cricket.com.au reports.

Brathwaite’s appearance in the premier T20 competition Down Under should come as no surprise considering his exploits in the shortest format over the last year. In fact, the report states that a number of BBL franchises, including Hobart Hurricanes, Sydney Sixers, and Perth Scorchers, are involved in a bidding war to secure the services of the immensely talented Barbados-born cricketer.

The 27-year-old’s exploits in the T20 format helped him command a high price during the 2016 IPL auctions with Delhi Daredevils securing his coveted signature but it was his exploits in the World T20 final against England that really made the world stand up and take notice.

World Cup glory for West Indies thanks to Brathwaite

Needing 19 runs to win off the final over, Brathwaite smashed four consecutive sixes to hand his side and improbable victory, further enhancing his reputation as a dangerous player in the format. With West Indies not playing any international cricket during the BBL season, Brathwaite would seem one of the prime targets and the all-rounder is looking forward to the opportunity.

“Home drum beats first so I'm just making sure everything is OK at home before I shoot abroad and make myself available," he said. “It's a dream of mine. The Big Bash ... it'd be good to test my preparation and my skill against some of the better players in the world in their backyard in the T20 format. So looking forward to it, if available."

Following the conclusion of the IPL, Brathwaite will be back in West Indian colours for the tri-series involving Australia and South Africa and he is hopeful that his side can carry forward their T20 success into other formats as well.

"It's our first series back home since the World T20 win. We're all still on a high from the win and hoping that win can spread over to the longer formats and galvanise the people of the West Indies. We go out there trying to win each and every game,” he said. “One the results fall into place, we'll put smiles on the face of the people of the Caribbean."

One person who will be having a keen eye on Brathwaite and other West Indies T20 specialists will be Perth Scorchers’ head coach Justin Langer, who is in charge of the Australian team for this series.

"I've got my Scorchers cap on every day of the week looking for the right people to bring across whether it's domestically or internationally," he said. "So no doubt I'll have a look at a few of (the West Indies) players to see whether they fit the bill."