West Indies captain Roston Chase has pointed out that the absence of quality First-Class cricket in the Caribbean has severely affected the national Test team. He argues that players nowadays need the opportunity to play even longer at the international level to learn the job and develop consistency. Chase is the only player in the squad with over 50 Tests experience (54) and insists that it is unfair to compare West Indies players who have just debuted with players from countries like India, Australia, or England, where players often debut with 80 or more First-Class matches.

When asked if he would like his current crop to get more matches, Chase was fully supportive. “Yeah, that would be lovely if we could give some players a bit of a run so they can learn on the job. Many of our players come to international cricket having played just 15 to 20 First-Class games. While in other countries, debutants often have 80 or 100 matches. For us, it’s always learning on the job,” he said after West Indies lost the recent Test series 0-2 to India.

Roston Chase stresses on building experience and confidence

Chase believes giving players more exposure at the international level will help them adapt, improve, and perform consistently. The West Indies showed glimpses of fight in the second innings of the Kotla Test, scoring 390 with hundreds from John Campbell and Shai Hope. “The fight we showed in this game will give us belief and confidence that we have what it takes to perform at this level. It’s about consistently working hard and believing in ourselves as a team,” he added.

The skipper also stressed the importance of a positive dressing room environment. “Sometimes, when we’re not playing well, there isn’t much joy in the dressing room. But when we find enjoyment while working hard for each other, it moves the group forward,” he said. Chase welcomed initiatives like the West Indies U-19 training programme at the CSK Academy, which helps players get exposure to spin bowling, a department where they are less comfortable compared to fast bowling. “It would be great if our board could organise more such programs. We just have to work with what we have,” he concluded.