Over the last ten years, West Indian cricket has searched for a commodity that was once abundant to them: consistency. Talent has never been an issue at the top levels of the sport; however, the teams’ ability to be consistent has. It is for this reason that the appointment of Joshua Dorne as captain for the 2026 ICC U/19 Men’s Cricket World Cup represents a quiet significance in addition to being ceremonial.
The selection for Dorne is not driven by nostalgia – he has played First Class cricket, which is an increasingly rare sign of being ready for the U/19 level. The West Indies Under-19 team heads off to Zimbabwe and Namibia from 15th January to 6th February, where it would be beneficial to be adaptable rather than show brashness.
Leadership Chosen Over Potential Alone
The fact that Joshua Dorne was promoted to lead the West Indies U19 side shows how much more emphasis there is now on developing players through the structure of first-class cricket than ever before. In the past West Indies would always select the most talented batsman or top bowler as captain of their youth sides. This year, they have chosen a player who has already experienced the full spectrum of demands of playing in the first class. It is a very big difference.
Selecting Jonathan Van Lange as vice-captain further supports this thought. Van Lange is an all-rounder who brings both tactical and compositional balance to the team. A balance that will be crucial when trying to make line-ups flexible enough to accommodate varying conditions and opposition types. He is being selected to provide leadership that can help guide the team to decisions, rather than simply inspire them.
Jewel Andrew and the Burden of Early Stardom
On one hand, Andrew Jewel presents himself as being full of self-assurance. He has participated in many tournaments and also represented the West Indies at the 2024 Under-19 World Cup. However, on the other hand, Andrew Jewel will be expected to play at an entirely different level than that he has demonstrated throughout his career, as he has rapidly climbed through the rankings. Andrew Jewel broke a new record at 18, when he became the youngest player selected for the West Indies men’s team in T20I and ODI cricket.
Selection Backed by Competitive Evidence
This team has been developed through performance. Selections were made based on performances in the 2025 regional Under-17 and Under-19 competitions, as well as wins in the international preparatory series vs England and Sri Lanka. Wins in those series matter more than they are given credit for. Youth teams that have beaten established cricketing systems early usually come into world cups with an idea of how their system works, versus being hopeful.
Group D and the Reality Check Ahead
There are no warm-up games for Group D; South Africa will add a sense of order and timing as they play their first match against Afghanistan, who will challenge West Indies’ ability to remain calm under pressure from spin. The two teams that have received less attention than either of those two teams are Tanzania, and they should not be discounted when playing on their own continent. Additionally, all of these teams’ games will take place at the High Performance Oval in Windhoek, which shortens the learning curve even more. The only excuse that there won’t be any excuses about different venues for the West Indies will be execution.
This West Indies Under-19 team is a departure from other squads in that it’s not trying to revolutionise Caribbean cricket in one night. It shows an association working toward matching youth development to senior expectations to be leaders, adaptable, and know their roles before they can show off flair.
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