There was a time when West Indies ruled the cricket world with unmatched dominance. Between 1980 and 1995, they remained unbeaten in 29 consecutive Test series, winning 20 of them. This period also included an incredible seven-series winning streak.
But those days are long gone. Excluding T20s, West Indies can now be described as the ‘dinosaurs’ of cricket. Even on home soil, they struggle in Test matches. The statistics from the last decade serve as proof. From 2014 onwards, West Indies have played 17 Test series at home, winning only 5, losing 8, and drawing 4.
These statistics should have been a morale booster for the Bangladesh cricket team heading to the West Indies. However, it’s not as simple as it seems. The reality is, the 5 series that West Indies have won at home in the last decade, 3 of them were against Bangladesh. These days, the once mighty West Indies, who used to be a ‘cat’ in Test cricket, turn into a ‘tiger’ whenever they face Bangladesh.
After being thrashed in the 2014 and 2018 series, Bangladesh was also whitewashed in the 2022 series. So, even though West Indies appear weaker on home soil, Bangladesh can’t afford to think that they have an easy challenge ahead.
The most painful series for Bangladesh was the 2018 tour. The agony started on the very first day of the series, when Bangladesh were bowled out for just 43 runs in the first innings of the first Test in Antigua — still their lowest score in Test cricket.
Tomorrow, Bangladesh will play the first match of their new tour in Antigua, another Test match. What awaits them this time? We will see.
As for West Indies, in the last decade, the only two teams they have managed to beat in Test series at home are England. They won 2-1 in 2019 and 1-0 in 2022, both three-match series. Before these, England had drawn a series there in the same period.
With these statistics in mind, it seems that West Indies would only want to play Test cricket at home against Bangladesh and England!
