Darren Bravo

Darren Michael Bravo (born 6 February 1989) is a West Indian cricketer who plays domestic cricket for Trinidad and Tobago and international cricket for the West Indies. A left-handed batsman, his batting style has drawn comparisons with Brian Lara.[1][2][3] Bravo is the younger half brother of fellow West Indies cricketer Dwayne Bravo and his mother is the first cousin of former cricketer Brian Lara.[4]

Not to be confused with Dwayne Bravo.

Darren Bravo

Personal information
Full name	Darren Michael Bravo
Born	(1989-02-06) 6 February 1989 Santa Cruz, Trinidad and Tobago
Batting	Left-handed
Bowling	Right arm medium
Role	Batsman
Relations	DJ Bravo (half brother) Brian Lara (1st cousin once removed)
International information
National side	West Indies
Test debut (cap 287)	15 November 2010 v Sri Lanka
Last Test	30 August 2019 v India
ODI debut (cap 146)	26 June 2009 v India
Last ODI	1 March 2020 v Sri Lanka
T20I debut (cap 41)	28 February 2010 v Zimbabwe
Last T20I	10 March 2019 v England
Domestic team information
Years	Team
2007–present	Trinidad and Tobago
2012	Deccan Chargers
2013-present	Trinbago Knight Riders (squad no. 46)
2017	Kolkata Knight Riders (squad no. 46)
2018	Multan Sultans (squad no. 46)
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI FC LA Matches 52 108 93 151 Runs scored 3459 2820 5612 4498 Batting average 38.43 30.98 36.44 35.14 100s/50s 8/17 3/18 11/32 6/29 Top score 218 124 218 124 Balls bowled 6 0 106 0 Wickets – – 1 – Bowling average – – 66.00 – 5 wickets in innings – – – – 10 wickets in match – – – – Best bowling – – 1/9 – Catches/stumpings 50/– 33/– 96/– 51/–
Source: Cricinfo, 1 March 2020

Career

Bravo made his first team debut for Trinidad and Tobago in January 2007 and scored seven in a one-day match against Guyana.[5] He made his first-class debut three days later against the Leeward Islands and scored eight. After another single figure score in his next match against the Windward Islands he made no other appearances in the 2006/07 season.[6] He returned to the under-19 team for the TCL Under-19 Challenge and finished the tournament as leading run scorer, in five matches scoring 419 runs at an average of 59.85.[7]

In preparation for the 2008 Under-19 World Cup the West Indies under-19s competed in the 2007–08 KFC Cup. Bravo played for the side in two matches; the first saw his team dismissed for a one-day record low total of 18,[8] and Bravo was one of six players who was dismissed without scoring.[9] Bravo described it as a learning experience, saying: "Collins was getting a lot of movement and Edwards was bowling very fast. It was difficult to get them away but the experience was good for us and it came in handy in the other games."[10] At the under-19 World Cup Bravo played in all five of West Indies matches scoring 165 runs at 55.[11] In the plate final against Nepal he took three wickets for nine runs (3/9) and scored 24 not out.[12] Bravo finished the 2007/08 season with two first-class matches but failed to score a substantial innings with a best of 29.

In October 2008, Bravo was a member of the Trinidad and Tobago squad for the Stanford Series. Having failed to play in the first match against the Super Stars he came into the side for the next match against Middlesex and scored 27 not out including hitting the winning runs with a six over long-on.[13] His domestic form in the 2008–09 season was much improved from the previous season; in the WICB Cup which Trinidad and Tobago won, he scored 41 in the semi-final run chase against Jamaica and added 20 in the final against Barbados.[14][15] In first-class cricket he scored 97 against Barbados, in a team score of 264 he was the last man out after 330 minutes of batting.[16] Later in January he scored a maiden first-class century against the Windward Islands; his innings of 105 included 13 fours and a six.[17] The form led to his selection for West Indies A; however, an injury meant he missed the fixture against the England tourists.[18] On his return to first-class cricket Bravo scored a second century of the season; against Barbados he added 111 and shared a 250 run partnership for the fourth wicket with Kieron Pollard.[19] In the following match against Jamaica he scored 41 and 70 also equalling a Trinidad and Tobago record by taking five catches in the second innings.[20] Older brother Dwayne praised his form, saying: "He had been good with the bat and I am happy to see that he has been very consistent this season".[21] Dwayne failed to pass 30 in his final four matches of the season but still ended the season with 605 runs at 43.21.I[22]

International breakthrough

In June 2009, Bravo was called up to the West Indies squad for the first two ODIs of the series with India.[23] He made his international debut in the first ODI at Sabina Park scoring 19 from 16 balls, including two fours from the first two deliveries he faced.[24] On his Test debut Bravo scored 58 from 159 balls against Sri Lanka. He went on to hit 80 in the second Test and 68 in the third Test to leave him with a tour average of 68.66.

The West Indies first engagement after the 2011 World Cup was hosting Pakistan at home. In the two-Test series, Bravo was the only West Indies batsman to score over 100 runs.[25] In October the West Indies toured Bangladesh. After contributing scores of 2 and 24 not out in the drawn first Test,[26] Bravo scored his maiden Test century in the second to help his team to a 1–0 series victory. The innings of 195 from 297 balls was the ninth highest score by a West Indian batsman in the subcontinent.[27][28] For his performances in 2011, he was named in the World Test XI by the Cricinfo.[29]

Though Bravo was bought by the Deccan Chargers for $100,000 at the 2012 Indian Premier League auction,[30] but missed the competition because it clashed with Australia's tour of the West Indies in March and April. After scoring just 48 runs in the five-match ODI series, Bravo was dropped for the T20Is against the same opponent so he could return to domestic cricket to find form ahead of the Test series.[31] With 184 runs in three Tests, Bravo was the West Indies' second-highest run-scorer in the series behind Shivnarine Chanderpaul and sixth overall.[32]

Darren Bravo along with Denesh Ramdin set the record for the highest 3rd wicket partnership in ODI history (258).[33]

In the first match of the 2013/14 Test series against New Zealand in Dunedin, Bravo made a fighting maiden double-century after nearly 10 hours of batting to help the West Indies to an unlikely draw.[34]

Bravo's seventh Test hundred came in the first Test of the Australia tour of 2015–16, in Bellerive Oval, Hobart. He scored 108 off 177 balls in the first innings and eventually lost the match by an innings.[35]

Darren Bravo is the first batsman in history to score a test century in the fourth innings of a Day/Night test match when he scored 116 in that innings. He was also the first-ever left-handed batsman to have scored a test hundred in an innings of a Day-night test match.[36]

In April 2019, he was named in the West Indies' squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup.[37][38]

T20 franchise career

On 3 June 2018, he was selected to play for the Winnipeg Hawks in the players' draft for the inaugural edition of the Global T20 Canada tournament.[39][40] In July 2020, he was named in the Trinbago Knight Riders squad for the 2020 Caribbean Premier League.[41][42]

References

1. Bravo, Pollard slam 100s Archived 8 June 2009 at the Wayback Machine, Trinidad Express, retrieved on 28 June 2009
2. Darren ready for challenge Archived 26 June 2009 at the Wayback Machine, Trinidad Express, retrieved on 28 June 2009
3. Captains impressed with Darren Bravo, Cricinfo, retrieved on 28 June 2009
4. Genes behind uncle Lara's reflection in Darren Bravo - Times Of India. Articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com (2009-07-03). Retrieved on 2013-12-23.
5. Trinidad and Tobago v Guyana, KFC Cup 2006/07, CricketArchive, retrieved on 28 June 2009
6. Player Oracle: DM Bravo, CricketArchive, retrieved on 28 June 2009
7. Batting and Fielding in TCL Group West Indies Under-19 Challenge 2007, CricketArchive, retrieved on 28 June 2009
8. Team Totals of Less than 50 in a ListA Match Archived 19 April 2016 at the Wayback Machine, CricketArchive, retrieved on 28 June 2009
9. Barbados v West Indies Under-19s, KFC Cup 2007/08 (Zone A), CricketArchive, retrieved on 28 June 2009
10. Bravo hopes KFC Cup experience will help in Malaysia, Cricinfo, retrieved on 28 June 2009
11. ICC Under-19 World Cup 2007/08 - Batting and Fielding for West Indies Under-19s, CricketArchive, retrieved on 28 June 2009
12. Nepal Under-19s v West Indies Under-19s, ICC Under-19 World Cup 2007/08 (9th Place Play-off), CricketArchive, retrieved on 28 June 2009
13. Ramdin leads T&T to big-money glory, Cricinfo, retrieved on 28 June 2009
14. Jamaica v Trinidad and Tobago, WICB Cup 2008/09 (semi-final), CricketArchive, retrieved on 28 June 2009
15. Barbados v Trinidad and Tobago, WICB Cup 2008/09 (final), CricketArchive, retrieved on 28 June 2009
16. Barbados v Trinidad and Tobago, Regional Four Day Competition 2008/09, CricketArchive, retrieved on 28 June 2009
17. Trinidad and Tobago v Windward Islands, Regional Four Day Competition 2008/09, CricketArchive, retrieved on 28 June 2009
18. Chattergoon replaces Darren Bravo, Cricinfo, retrieved on 28 June 2009
19. Trinidad and Tobago v Barbados, Regional Four Day Competition 2008/09, CricketArchive, retrieved on 28 June 2009
20. Most Catches in an Innings for Trinidad and Tobago, CricketArchive, retrieved on 28 June 2009
21. Dwayne happy with Darren's consistency Archived 16 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine, Trinidad Express, retrieved on 28 June 2009
22. Regional Four Day Competition 2008/09 - Batting and Fielding for Trinidad and Tobago, CricketArchive, retrieved on 28 June 2009
23. Darren Bravo included for first two ODIs, Cricinfo, retrieved on 28 June 2009
24. India in West Indies ODI Series - 1st ODI, commentary, Cricinfo, retrieved on 28 June 2009
25. Records / Pakistan in West Indies Test Series, 2011 / Most runs Archived 2 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine, Cricinfo, retrieved on 17 May 2012
26. f53438 t2010 Bangladesh v West Indies: West Indies in Bangladesh 2011/12 (1st Test), CricketArchive, retrieved 17 May 2012
27. Siddhartha Talya, Bishoo spins West Indies to series win, Cricinfo, 2 November 2011, retrieved 17 May 2012
28. f53463 t2012 Bangladesh v West Indies: West Indies in Bangladesh 2011/12 (2nd Test), CricketArchive, retrieved 17 May 2012
29. http://www.espncricinfo.com/review2011/content/story/547545.html
30. Who was sold to whom, Cricinfo, retrieved 17 May 2012
31. Brydon Coverdale, Darren Bravo dropped from T20 squad, Cricinfo, 29 March 2012, retrieved 17 May 2012
32. Records / The Frank Worrell Trophy, 2011/12 / Most runs Archived 29 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine, Cricinfo, retrieved 17 May 2012
33. "Records | One-Day Internationals | Partnership records | Highest partnerships by wicket | ESPN Cricinfo". Cricinfo. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
34. NZ v WI Scorecard "ESPN Cricinfo", retrieved 8 December 2013
35. Coverdale, Bryan (12 December 2015). "Pattinson takes five as Australia crush West Indies". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
36. "1st Test: Pakistan v West Indies at Dubai (DSC), Oct 13–17, 2016 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo". Cricinfo. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
37. "Andre Russell in West Indies World Cup squad, Kieron Pollard misses out". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
38. "Andre Russell picked in West Indies' World Cup squad". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
39. "Global T20 Canada: Complete Squads". SportsKeeda. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
40. "Global T20 Canada League – Full Squads announced". CricTracker. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
41. "Nabi, Lamichhane, Dunk earn big in CPL 2020 draft". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
42. "Teams Selected for Hero CPL 2020". Cricket West Indies. Retrieved 6 July 2020.

External links

• Cricinfo Profile
• Darren Bravo on Twitter