Darren Bravo

Some cricketers are compared to the greats as a compliment. Darren Bravo was compared to one almost as a matter of fact. His backlift, footwork and even his mannerisms at the crease mirrored those of his cousin Brian Lara, and for a long time, that resemblance was the first thing anyone said about him. Darren, the half-brother of fellow West Indies cricketer Dwayne Bravo, made his ODI debut against India in Kingston in June 2009. His Test debut followed against Sri Lanka in Galle in November 2010.

Bravo's first hundred took time to arrive, coming in his tenth Test in the form of a breakthrough 195 against Bangladesh in Dhaka. Once it came, the runs followed quickly. Within 12 Tests, his aggregate matched Lara's tally at the same stage of his career, fuelling genuine hope that he could go on to achieve something similar. He carried that promise into the years that followed. He was part of the West Indies squad that won the 2012 ICC World T20, while the biggest innings of his career came in December 2013. Bravo hit an unbeaten 218 against New Zealand in Dunedin, batting the West Indies to safety after they were forced to follow on.

His white-ball form fluctuated in the years that followed, with lean patches in ODIs eventually costing him his place in the side, even as he remained a fixture in the Test team. His career was interrupted dramatically in late 2016 when a very public falling-out with the West Indies board threatened to end it altogether. He was eventually cleared to return and worked his way back into the West Indies setup. The frustration resurfaced in late 2023. Despite a prolific domestic season, Bravo was left out of every West Indies squad on offer, and announced he was stepping away from the game for a while, insisting it wasn't the end, just a pause.

He stayed involved through the Caribbean Premier League, returning to Trinbago Knight Riders for their 2025 campaign, which ended in a fifth title for the franchise. He also returned briefly to Test contention that year under new captain Kraigg Brathwaite, before a further international snub in mid-2025 saw him step back once more.