3 REASONS WHY WEST INDIES LOST THE FIRST TEST AGAINST SOUTH AFRICA
3
West Indies' captaincy conundrum
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Jason Holder took over as leader of a beleaguered side in 2015 and lifted them to being the most-balanced West Indies Test outfit in recent times. Under his tenure, the Windies scripted overseas Test wins over Pakistan and England. West Indies also beat England at home in 2019.
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However, after the Windies side defeated Bangladesh in early 2021, Kraigg Brathwaite was made the Test skipper. It was a shocker for Holder, who had given his all for West Indies cricket. Despite the change in captaincy, West Indies haven’t impressed under the new skipper.
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They played out a tame drawn Test series against Sri Lanka before South Africa routed them in the first Test. It could lead to several questions over this unnecessary captaincy switch as the team wasn't doing all too badly under former captain Jason Holder.
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2
SA fast bowlers outperformed the West Indies pacers
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Although the West Indies missed Shannon Gabriel, they would've thought the presence of Jason Holder, Kemar Roach, and young Jayden Seales would tilt the scales in their favour. However, the South African bowlers totally outperformed the West Indies pacers in the first Test.
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The Proteas fast bowlers were relentless throughout. Anrich Nortje picked up 7 wickets at an average of 11.57, Kagiso Rabada had 6 scalps at 9.66, and Lungi Ngidi took 5 at an average of 10. The South African pace trio blew away a hapless West Indies batting line-up twice.
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On paper, West Indies could bat until number nine, with Jason Holder, Joshua Da Silva, and Rahkeem Cornwall forming a decent tail. But the hosts failed to stand up and deliver against the South African pacers. The Proteas bowled in good areas and were duly rewarded.
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1
West Indies' batting unit flattered to deceive
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Most West Indies batsmen average close to 30s, including captain Kraigg Brathwaite (33.08), Shai Hope (25.87), and regular performer Jermaine Blackwood (30.13). It is acceptable when an all-rounder like Jason Holder averages 32.52 with the bat as he also chips in as a bowler.
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For the rest, their averages are simply unacceptable in the longest format. It looks more troubling when several experienced players such as Kraigg Brathwaite (69 Tests), Jermaine Blackwood (38 Tests), and Roston Chase (38 Tests) haven't improved their averages over the years.
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On the other hand, some of the South African players like Dean Elgar (39.44) and Quinton De Kock (38.87) have far better averages. With this comparison, the gap between both the sides' batting units becomes even more apparent. It was very evident when the home team met the visitors.
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