Kraigg Brathwaite has spent more than a decade at the top of the West Indies batting order, building a reputation as one of the Caribbean’s most durable Test openers.
He made his Test debut as an 18-year-old in 2011 and went on to become one of the most experienced players in modern West Indies cricket.
He reached 100 Test appearances in July 2025, becoming only the 10th West Indies cricketer to reach the landmark. His career has been defined by patience and endurance.
Brathwaite has traditionally valued occupying the crease, absorbing pressure and giving the West Indies top order a platform.
He has also taken on major leadership responsibilities, serving as Test captain from 2021 until he stepped down in March 2025.
Brathwaite remains active in domestic cricket with Barbados Pride, where he continued to captain the side in the 2026 West Indies Championship.
Kraigg Brathwaite Biography
He was born on December 1, 1992, in Black Rock, St Michael, Barbados. Kraigg Clairmonte Brathwaite is a right-handed batter and occasional right-arm off-break bowler.
He attended Combermere School in Barbados, one of the country’s historic secondary schools. The school has produced several prominent sportspeople and public figures, including Brathwaite and fellow Barbadian Rihanna.
Brathwaite developed his cricket career in Barbados before progressing through the West Indies youth system. His talent was evident well before he became an international player.
He represented the West Indies Under-19 side and was part of the squad at the 2010 ICC Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand. He was the West Indies’ leading run scorer at that tournament, scoring 335 runs in six innings.
He also later captained the Under 19 side at the 2012 tournament in Australia. His early development also included the Sagicor High Performance Centre, which has played an important role in developing Caribbean cricket talent.
Brathwaite made his first-class debut in 2009 at only 16 years old, opening the batting for Combined Campuses and Colleges against Barbados.
He scored 73 in his first innings. That early exposure to senior cricket helped accelerate his progression toward the West Indies team.
Career
Kraigg Brathwaite’s international career began in 2011 when he made his Test debut against Pakistan in Saint Kitts.
He was only 18 at the time, making his arrival one of the early signs that West Indies cricket had identified him as a long-term opening option. In his third Test, against Bangladesh in Mirpur, he scored his first Test half-century.
He subsequently established himself as a regular member of the West Indies batting order. One of the defining performances of his early career came against Bangladesh in 2014.
Brathwaite scored 212, his first Test double century and still the highest score of his international career. His innings helped the West Indies reach 484 for seven declared.
His reputation as a patient opening batter continued to grow. In 2016, Brathwaite produced one of the more unusual batting achievements of his career against Pakistan in Sharjah.
He carried his bat through both innings, scoring 142 not out in the first innings and remaining unbeaten again in the second. He became the first West Indies opener to carry his bat in both innings of a Test.
He also produced important performances in England in 2017, including scores of 134 and 95 at Headingley as the West Indies recovered from defeat in the opening Test to win the second match.
Brathwaite later identified the Headingley performance as one of the highlights of his career.
West Indies Test Captain
Brathwaite’s leadership career developed gradually. He first captained the West Indies in Test cricket as a stand-in for Jason Holder. Before becoming the permanent captain, he had already led the side in seven Tests.
In March 2021, Cricket West Indies officially appointed Brathwaite as Test captain, replacing Holder. He became the 37th Test captain of the West Indies.
His time as captain included some of the most significant Test victories for the West Indies in recent years.
Under his leadership, the West Indies defeated England in a home Test series in 2022. They also produced a historic victory over Australia in Brisbane in January 2024, winning by eight runs.
It was the West Indies‘ first Test victory in Australia in 27 years. Brathwaite’s final series as captain came against Pakistan in January 2025.
The West Indies lost the opening Test but responded with a 120-run victory in Multan. The result levelled the series and gave the West Indies their first Test victory in Pakistan in 34 years.
In March 2025, Brathwaite voluntarily stepped down as Test captain. He had led the West Indies in 39 Tests.
Cricket West Indies said his decision was intended to allow a smooth leadership transition before the next World Test Championship cycle. Roston Chase subsequently became the new Test captain.
100 Tests
One of the defining moments of Brathwaite’s career came in July 2025. He played his 100th Test for the West Indies against Australia in Grenada, fulfilling a goal he had set for himself when he was only 14 years old.
Brathwaite became only the 10th West Indies player to reach 100 Test appearances. The achievement placed him alongside some of the greatest players in West Indies cricket, including Brian Lara, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Courtney Walsh, Viv Richards, Desmond Haynes, Clive Lloyd, Gordon Greenidge, Chris Gayle and Carl Hooper.
Going into the landmark match, Brathwaite had accumulated 5,943 Test runs and 12 centuries in 99 Tests. He had also faced more deliveries in Test cricket than any other West Indies batter.
The milestone match itself was disappointing from a personal perspective. Brathwaite was dismissed for a duck in the first innings and scored only seven in the second innings as Australia won the Test by 133 runs.
Despite the difficult performance, reaching 100 Tests remained a significant achievement in a career that had already lasted 14 years.
His final Test figures stand at 100 matches, 5,950 runs, 12 centuries and 31 fifties, with a highest score of 212.
Best Test Score
Brathwaite’s highest Test score is 212, which he made against Bangladesh in 2014. The innings remains one of the most important landmarks of his career because it demonstrated the qualities that would define him for much of his international career: concentration, patience and the ability to bat for long periods.
He has also scored centuries against several major Test nations and produced important fourth innings performances during his career. His batting approach has rarely been based on explosive scoring.
Instead, Brathwaite has generally attempted to absorb the new ball, occupy the crease and make bowlers work for his wicket.
ESPNcricinfo described his concentration as one of the defining features of his career and noted that he had faced more balls in Tests than any other West Indies batter.
Barbados Pride
Following his departure from the West Indies Test side, Brathwaite continued his cricket career with Barbados.
In 2026, he remained an important figure for Barbados Pride and was named captain for the West Indies Championship campaign.
He continued to produce significant domestic performances. In April 2026, Brathwaite scored 176 against Jamaica Scorpions in the West Indies Championship.
The innings was his 34th first-class century. His 2026 West Indies Championship campaign also included scores of 174 and 74 against Jamaica, according to available match records.
This is an important part of his current career because Brathwaite has not simply disappeared from cricket after losing his place in the West Indies Test side.
He has continued playing and captaining at the regional level.
Kraigg Brathwaite Net Worth
Kraigg Brathwaite’s net worth is estimated at $5 million. His career has nevertheless provided him with professional income through international and domestic cricket.
He has represented Barbados and the West Indies, as well as playing county cricket in England for teams including Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Glamorgan, Gloucestershire and Warwickshire.
