He has been West Indies' most consistent ODI batter since last year.
Even if casuals only noticed their struggles across formats, the West Indies are slowly shaping up as a formidable ODI team ahead of World Cup 2027, with several quality players to work with. Among them is 28-year-old Keacy Carty, who has been among the most consistent ODI batters since last year.
It’s not easy to nail No.3 in the format, given the challenges that come with it: batters need to be skilled enough to bat at different tempos, must be solid against pace and spin at the same time, and possess the ability to construct innings. This trait has been uncommon in the current West Indies lot, and Carty is an anomaly, which probably helped him crack this tricky format and seal the No.3 spot with consistency.
When the Test side was fighting it out against India in Delhi, he was spending time in Chennai, training at the Super Kings Academy, with a focus on spin improvements. A three-match ODI series against Bangladesh away from home starts later today, where spin will dominate, as is always the case, and Carty, in an interview with ESPNcricinfo, explained what led him to Chennai.
“The purpose of coming here to Chennai was obviously to improve the way we play spin and the way we think of playing spin. Hitting in front of the wicket is a better way to play in the Caribbean. Here, I’ve been working on a few things indoors, doing drills, and putting it to practice against the spin bowlers.”
It won’t be an exaggeration to say that Keacy Carty will be one of the first names in the West Indies ODI XI at the moment, given how consistent he has been across conditions. Since 2024, he has had 1055 runs at an average of 58.61 and a strike rate of 88.35 in 20 innings, including three fifties and four centuries.
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In this period, he has scored runs at home, in England, Australia, and Ireland, and will now have a chance to continue piling on runs in Bangladesh. However, one issue came to light during Sri Lanka’s tour last year, where spinners not only restricted his scoring but also dismissed him repeatedly.
While otherwise a fine spin record – an average of 42.90 and a strike rate of 86.92 since 2024 – Carty could only score at 55.22 and lost his wicket twice in as many innings in Sri Lanka. No wonder he prepared early for a similar challenge on the Bangladesh decks against quality spinners, as he looks to boost his credentials in Asia.
How much improvement has come will only be clear during the rubber, but the West Indies would be pleased to see players showing efforts to improve and do well for the country, which has not been as common in recent times. Carty remains vital for them if they want to earn a direct qualification for the next World Cup, and adding spin skills will only make him a more all-round package.
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