Carlos Brathwaite will be one of the main men of the India vs West Indies T20 series in the US, with the exciting all-rounder starting a new innings in his career when he captains his team for the first time. With Darren Sammy overlooked, Brathwaite has been given the reins, and it will be interesting to see what personality he brings to the job, starting with the two T20I matches in Florida.
India might have won the Test match series in the Caribbean comfortably, but West Indies, as they showed in the World T20 again, are a completely different prospect in the shorter formats, particularly T20 cricket.
Having beaten India in a tense World T20 semifinal, there will be a bit of "We need to get back at them" feeling in the Indian squad, making the two T20 matches a little more interesting.
"From all reports, CPL had a fantastic ovation and it was well-received," Brathwaite told reporters when asked about what he expects from the two matches in Florida. "And I hope this is the start of big things.
"We are next-door neighbours and the US is a powerhouse so let's see how it goes. We are testing the waters a bit, hopefully it goes well and hopefully this is the first of many in the USA."
Support, first of all, if there will be enough at all, and if there is, who the majority of them will be rooting for, is another poser going into the two-match series.
"It's funny because the US has a lot of Caribbean supporters and I think a few Caribbean people who used to like cricket, but probably don't follow it anymore would love to come out and enjoy some games in the US," Brathwaite said. "Whether they will be supporting West Indies or India I don't know, but I think it will be a very good spectacle."
Brathwaite, who was the hero of the World T20 final, when he hit four sixes in a row to help West Indies get the better of England, will hope that spectacle turns into a positive for the West Indies, because the last thing he will want is to start as captain by losing both the matches.
The 28-year-old admitted to being a little overwhelmed after he was given the responsibility, but revealed that a talk with former captain Sammy has helped him embrace this opportunity with confidence.
"He just told me, 'Congratulations'. He heard it before I spoke to him, and he just said, 'Congratulations, it's a big challenge,'" Brathwaite said of Sammy. "He gave me his blessing and as a senior guy appreciated it, which allowed me to ease into the role.
"I haven't officially started yet, but it has allowed me to transition easier from just being told, to the excitement of wanting to get on the field and lead. It was a good vote of confidence speaking to Sammy, then I saw him at a charity event, saw some of the senior guys as well, all have been telling me positive things."
