Roston Chase was made the West Indies' new Test captain despite not playing the format for over two years. How did Cricket West Indies settle on him to take over?
On May 16, Cricket West Indies announced that Chase would take over the role from Kraigg Brathwaite, who had stepped down at the end of March this year. Along with a change in red-ball head coach from Andre Coley to Daren Sammy, it signals a genuine changing of the guard in West Indies cricket on the cusp of the 2025-27 World Test Championship.
When did Roston Chase last play Test cricket?
Aged 33 and with 49 Test caps to his name, Chase is among the more experienced Test cricketers in the West Indies at the moment. However, his appointment as skipper is strange – given that he has not been part of the setup since 2023. In addition, Chase has never captained in first-class cricket, and played just three matches in the format since his last Test.
Chase last played a Test match in March 2023, against South Africa in Johannesburg. He returned 0-54 & 0-45 with the ball, and scored 28 & 0 batting at No.5.
Why did West Indies appoint Roston Chase Test captain?
In a statement, Cricket West Indies said that Chase's appointment came after the implementation of a “groundbreaking selection process”, outlining the details of the process.
First, six players were shortlisted based on Test experience, leadership quality and captaincy credentials. Apart from Chase (49 caps), John Campbell (20), Tevin Imlach (2), Joshua Da Silva (33), Justin Greaves (6) and Jomel Warrican (19) made this list.
These six players then underwent psychometric testing to evaluate leadership style, behavaiour and overall suitability for the role. Interviews were also conducted focusing on tactical approaches, communication skills and team culture.
Finally, each player was given a weighted score across six key areas:
- Leadership
- Respect within the team
- Cricket knowledge
- Personal conduct
- Media and communication skills
- Results of the psychometric evaluation
Chase came out with the highest score, earning the captaincy. Jomel Warrican, who ranked second, was named vice-captain. CWI president Kishore Shallow praised the selection process, calling it “one of the most comprehensive and forward-thinking we have undertaken.”
Reservations over this new approach to captaincy are bound to exist, given its results. It has also been reported that as recently as February this year, Chase had been approached by former red-ball coach Andre Coley to return to Test cricket, but he declined in order to focus on franchise and white-ball cricket.
However, this sort of “corporate approach” to leadership within cricket is not a completely new suggestion. Former India off-spinner R Ashwin had endorsed a similar process on his YouTube channel last week, when speaking about the prospects of India's new Test captain: “[If] There are 4-5 candidates in the mix, it is better if the board invites them for an interview. See, captaincy is a responsibility.
“It's a very responsible position that can make or break many a career. So, if you are picking someone as a captain, ask them about their vision, [ask them to] prepare a PPT about what can be expected. What is the vision, what kind of players would you back, what is your brand of cricket...only the one who has answers to all of this can take the team forward.”
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