West Indies middle-order batter Darren Bravo took a bold decision after he was not named in the 15-man squad to face England in a three-match ODI series starting next month.
Bravo, one of the most experienced batters in the team, announced that he is stepping away from cricket for some time saying that in the current circumstances, he is finding it difficult to perform up to the expectations.
“I’ve taken some time to ponder and wonder what’s my next step moving forward as a cricketer,” Bravo wrote on Instagram. “At this point in my career, it’s not easy or should I say it takes a lot to continue to find the energy, the 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.”
The left-handed batter added that he was left in the dark without any communication which forced him to make this decision as if he can’t find a place in 40-45 players, then the selectors are trying to tell him something.
“Without any level [of] communication, I’ve been left in a very dark place. At the moment, there [are] three teams representing the region in multiple formats/series. That’s approximately 40–45 players and if I can’t be in any of these teams after competing in our regional tournaments and scoring runs, therefore, they are basically telling me that the writing is on the wall,” he added.
However, the 34-year-old confirmed that he is not retiring or anything close to that as he isn’t fully done with cricket yet.
“I’m not giving up but I believe 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 each and everyone all the very best.”
Bravo has represented West Indies in 204 international matches and scored 7052 runs across formats at an average of 32.20. In the recently concluded List A competition, the left-handed amassed 416 runs with a century and three fifties but despite satisfactory performances, he wasn't included in the squad to face England.