Kemar Roach

Kemar Roach is a beacon of hope in a region that has witnessed a decline in fast bowling talent. Despite his stature of being under six feet, Roach possesses extreme pace, regularly clocking speeds in the late 140s (kph). His ability to skid the ball onto batsmen with deceptive speed has earned him recognition as one of the most promising fast bowlers. Roach burst onto the international scene with an impressive start, claiming 13 wickets in his first two Tests against Bangladesh. However, it was during the tour of Australia in 2009-10 that he truly made a name for himself. Bowling consistently at around 150kph, he troubled the Australian batsmen and garnered attention in the Perth Test when he struck Ricky Ponting on the elbow with a rapid 146kph delivery, forcing him to retire hurt. His skills attracted a lucrative bid of $720,000 from the Deccan Chargers in the 2010 IPL auction, but it is in the longer format of the game where he showcases his greatest potential. This was evident in his ten-wicket haul across two Tests in Sri Lanka during the 2010-11 season, as well as his maiden ten-wicket haul against Australia in Trinidad in 2012. However, a setback occurred when Roach suffered an ankle injury during the Centurion Test in December 2014. Following his recovery and return to the game, he experienced a significant decline in pace and performance. Over the next few years, he struggled to replicate his earlier success, taking just nine wickets in eight Tests, including tours of England and series against Australia. As a result, he was dropped from the team ahead of the 2016 home Tests against India. Roach had to prove himself once again in domestic cricket, and he did so impressively, taking 23 wickets at an average of 16.17 in the 2016-17 Professional Cricket League. This performance earned him a spot back in the West Indies' Test squad for their 2017 tour of England. Since 2021, Roach has been representing Surrey in south London during parts of the English summers. His contributions have been invaluable, and in 2022, his exceptional tally of 25 wickets from just seven matches played a pivotal role in Surrey's triumph as they secured their 21st County Championship title.