Australia Make Unwanted History During First Test Against West Indies

Australia has dropped the experinced batting pair of Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne for the three-match Test series against West Indies.

Australia Make Unwanted History During First Test Against West Indies

Australian was disappointingly bowled out for 180 runs, in the first innings against West Indies. (via The Times)

Australia suffered a batting collapse at the Kensington Oval in Barbados, being bowled out for just 180 runs in the first innings of their opening Test match against the West Indies. This poor performance also marked the breaking of an unwanted 30-year-old record for the Australians.

Australia fielded quite a changed starting XI compared to their 2025 World Test Championship (WTC) Final against South Africa. This three-match Test series marks the beginning of the new 2025-27 WTC cycle for both Australia and the West Indies. While, for Australia, this new cycle offers a chance to secure their second WTC title; for the West Indies, it is an opportunity to improve upon their poor WTC records.

In the series opener at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Australia opted to bat first. On a surface which has been quite challenging to bat on, the West Indies’ bowlers shone. In an unimpressive batting display by the visitors, they were bowled out for a mere 180 runs, in 56.5 overs. Travis Head was the only Australian batter who managed to go past the 50-run mark, ending with a score of 59 off 78.

Besides Head’s contribution, opener Usman Khawaja played a vital 47-run innings off 128 balls, while Pat Cummins (28) and Beau Webster (11) were the only others to reach double figures. West Indies bowlers Jayden Seales and Shamar Joseph headlined the day, scalping nine wickets. While Seales claimed a fifer, Joseph finished with figures of 4/46, reminding fans of his stunning seven-wicket haul in his side’s Gabba Test triumph, last year. 

Meanwhile, for the Australians, who are still recovering from their disappointing WTC final defeat to South Africa, their first innings batting display against the West Indies marked an newer low. It happened to be the Kangaroos’ lowest Test score in the West Indies, while batting first. Additionally, the Men in Yellow’s first innings score also marked the lowest total recorded at Barbados’ Kensington Oval, since 1995.

Despite the West Indies bowlers putting their team in a good position on Day 1, Australia hit back, taking four wickets, when the home side came out to bat. Mitchell Starc got the better of Kraigg Brathwaite and John Campbell, while Pat Cummins dismissed the in-form Keacy Carty and Josh Hazlewood removed Jomel Warrican, keeping the West Indies’ batting order under control at 57/4 on Day 1. 

When was the Last Time Australia Toured West Indies for a Red-Ball Series?

With the 2025 Frank Worrell Trophy underway, it marks the first time in almost a decade that Australia is playing the West Indies, in the Caribbean. The last time the Kangaroos toured the islands was in 2015, when the visitors triumphed 2-0 in a two-match Test series. 

2015 Australia vs West Indies
Australia last toured West Indies for a Test series back in 2015. (via Cricbuzz)

Back in the summer of 2015, Australia led by captain Michael Clarke, defeated West Indies in the first Test by nine wickets at Windsor Park in Dominica. Adam Voges was named POTM for his 130-run knock in the first innings. The visitors went on to secure the series with a massive 227-run victory in the second Test at Sabina Park, Kingston, where Steve Smith‘s scores of 199 and 54, earned him POTM honors.

Since 1999, Australia and the West Indies have played 30 Tests, with the former having dominated with 24 victories, while four matches ended in a draw, and the West Indies managed to win only two. The last time West Indies clinched a Test series victory against Australia was back in the 1992-93 season.