PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – An aggrieved Darren Bravo said late Saturday he planned to “step away just for a bit” following the newest snub by West Indies selectors, which saw him left out of the upcoming One-Day International squad to face England next month.
In an emotional post on the social media platform Instagram, the 34-year-old said he had “taken some time to ponder and wonder” about his future in West Indies cricket, and while he was not “giving up,” he believed a break would be the best move for his career.
However, he gave no clear indication of the length of the break but said it took a lot of work to continue finding motivation amidst the ongoing selection disappointments.
“At this point in my career, it’s not easy, or should I say it takes a lot to continue to find the energy, passion, commitment, and discipline to be able to perform to the best of my ability and put myself in a position to make my return to international cricket,” Bravo said.
The Trinidadian, still one of the region’s best players, was overlooked in a 15-man squad for the three ODIs against England despite gathering a tournament-leading 416 runs at an average of 83 in the just concluded Super50 Cup.
Bravo, who last featured for West Indies 22 months ago, also averaged 48 in last year’s Super50 Cup but was also ignored by selectors.
Conceding he was in a “very dark place,” Bravo said his non-selection to any of the three representative West Indies teams currently in action at home and away indicated that “the writing is on the wall.”
“Without any level of communication, I’ve been left in a very dark place,” said the player who averages 30 from 122 ODIs.
“There are three teams representing the region in multiple formats/series. That’s approximately 40-45 players. If I can’t be in any of these teams after competing in our regional tournaments and scoring runs, they tell me the writing is on the wall.
“I’m not giving up, but it’s best to step away just for a bit and maybe make some room for a young and upcoming talent. I will end by wishing every one of you all the very best. I’ve lived my dream.”
Bravo concluded the statement with the hashtag, “Age is just a number.”
In response to Bravo’s exclusion despite his form, chief selector, the Most Honourable Desmond Haynes, said last week younger players were being given preference, especially with West Indies rebuilding for the 2027 World Cup.
“Darren has proven, not only this year but last year in the Super50 tournament, to be somebody who performs well at this level,” Haynes said.
“But we have invested in players like Alick Athanaze and Keacy Carty, and we just figured that in selecting this team, we also had to consider that the World Cup 2027 is something that we’ve considered.
“We believe we’ve invested in these players and should allow them to play against an extreme England side.”
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