West Indies is chasing its first Test series victory over India since 2002. Central to those hopes has been its pace battery, with coach Daren Sammy pointing to New Zealand’s stunning 2024 whitewash of India, built on Matt Henry and Will O’Rourke’s incisive spells, as the template to follow.
That plan has already suffered setbacks. Both Shamar Joseph and Alzarri Joseph, the leaders of the attack, have been ruled out. That leaves Jayden Seales, the 24-year-old quick from Trinidad and Tobago, as the lone frontline pacer standing. For a side looking for inspiration, Seales offers genuine cause for belief.
A tall seamer who operates in the 130–140 kmph range, Seales debuted against South Africa in 2021, taking three wickets even as West Indies slumped to an innings defeat at St. Lucia. Since then, he has carved out an impressive red-ball record. Bowling full and attacking lengths, he has taken 88 wickets in 21 Tests at an average of 22.32 and a strike rate of 39.3.
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Those numbers put him in elite company. Since his debut, Seales sits 14th on the wicket charts, level with James Anderson, and boasts the seventh-best average and fourth-best strike rate among the 24 bowlers with at least 70 wickets in that period. Remarkably, he has never gone wicketless in any of his 21 Tests — two-thirds of them against England, Australia, and South Africa — and has taken three or more wickets in 19 of those matches.
His progress was interrupted by an injury in Australia in 2022, forcing him to the sidelines. A stint in county cricket with Sussex followed before his return to the West Indies side for the 2024 England tour.
Since then, he has been even more prolific. Across 11 Tests since his comeback, he has taken 51 wickets, the third-most worldwide in that span, behind only Gus Atkinson and Jasprit Bumrah, at 20.94 apiece and a strike rate of 36.7.
Seales’ threat is not confined to the new ball. While his record in the first 10 overs is formidable (19 wickets at 23.68), his average, strike rate, and false-shot percentage remain strong through the innings. His dismissals are also well-distributed: 76 per cent of his wickets are top-eight batters, and he remains just as effective in polishing off the tail.
One telling measure of his quality is how he compares to other bowlers in the same matches. In all but four series, Seales has outperformed the overall average and strike rate. The exceptions came in his debut against South Africa, his lone Test in Perth in 2022, a single appearance on a spin-heavy Multan track, and Australia’s most recent tour of the Caribbean, where numbers were distorted by West Indies’ dramatic fourth-innings collapses, including a 27 all out.
When set against the West Indian bowling unit, Seales’ returns look even more striking. In several series, the gulf between him and his teammates has been stark.
A case in point came in Multan, where he struck thrice with the new ball and then held up an end while spinners dominated proceedings. On a surface that gave little to the quicks, he stood out as West Indies’ only pace option, even as the batting crumbled.
West Indies Jayden Seales during the net practice session ahead of the 1st Test Cricket Match between India and West Indies.
| Photo Credit:
VIJAY SONEJI
West Indies Jayden Seales during the net practice session ahead of the 1st Test Cricket Match between India and West Indies.
| Photo Credit:
VIJAY SONEJI
Now, with Shamar and Alzarri absent, the burden falls squarely on him. West Indies’ chances in Ahmedabad and Delhi may hinge on Seales’ ability to channel those past experiences — and to continue a start to his Test career that has already placed him among the most consistent young fast bowlers in the game.
Published on Oct 01, 2025
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