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By Neto Baptiste
West Indies fast bowler Alzarri Joseph believes the regional team must develop a consistent winning habit if it is to attract larger crowds at home series, particularly in Test cricket.
The Antiguan was responding to questions about dwindling support for West Indies cricket across the Caribbean, pointing to the team’s inconsistent performances over the years as a possible reason for fans’ waning interest.
“Everyone likes to watch winners. I can guarantee that if we were winning more Test matches, we’d have bigger support. People still support because people watch, people tune in and people check the apps to see what the score is. It’s just that I’m not going to skip a day of work to watch West Indies play a Test match when I might go and see us lose,” he said.
Joseph, who made his Test debut against India in 2016, has taken 130 wickets in 42 Test matches at an average of 33.60 and an economy rate of 3.73. His best Test figures of five for 27 came against Australia during the third Test at Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica, in July 2025.
Despite the challenges facing the format, Joseph said Test cricket remains his favourite, stressing that young players should be encouraged to develop their skills through the longer version of the game.
“I love to win, and you have to win a Test match. No one’s going to give it to you; you have to get 20 wickets. You bowl a team out once, your batters have to bat, and then you have to bowl them out again. That’s something that someone can’t just give to you. You have to go and do it, you have to win that and you have to earn that,” Joseph said.
He explained that the demands of Test cricket make victories particularly rewarding, while highlighting the importance of mastering the fundamentals of the game.
“For me, winning a Test match feels better than winning an ODI game, where it could just be whoever scores the most runs wins the game. But if I bat for three days and score 17 million, and you bat for the next two and score the same 17 million, nobody wins.
“Any young cricketer coming up, I think you need the fundamentals of the sport if you want to be a good cricketer,” he added.
Joseph has also taken 142 wickets in 91 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and 62 wickets in 45 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is).