Jomel Warrican is a bit of subcontinental specialist for West Indies, having enjoyed success in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan. The West Indies left-arm fingerspinner and vice-captain has, in fact, played more Tests in the subcontinent than at home since he made his debut in 2015 in Colombo.
Now 34 and a veteran of over 100 first-class games, Warrican spoke on the sidelines of a camp in Chennai in October, about his strengths as a spinner, and bowling West Indies to a series win in Bangladesh in 2021 - where they are now due play another two-match Test series, kicking off on October 28. Warrican is expected to lead the team's attack once again.
Let's begin with your origin story. You were a fast bowler back in the day and Roddy Estwick turned you into a spinner?
I was living in Tortola, in the British Virgin Islands, and then I moved to Barbados and attended a school. And at our first net session, Roddy Estwick said, if you're a spinner, come here. If you're a fast bowler, go there. I went to the section of the fast bowlers. And he was like, no, I want you to bowl spin. From there, I feel my life has changed.
Accuracy has been your forte as a left-arm spinner, and you have the experience of over 100 first-class games. What do you believe are your other strengths as a spinner?
For me, I'm a strong believer in consistency, being able to analyse and read the batsmen and also the pitch. Also, knowing which field to set at the right time. So breaking down the game, breaking down the passage of play, analysing the game as quick as possible, I feel [are among my strengths]. And knowing what you need to do at a particular time as well. So that's very important for me.
Most of all, in terms of my skill now, being able to be very accurate and vary my speeds well. And whether I need to put a little more revs on the ball or take off some revs, or spin it as hard as I can. Those are the things I use to strengthen my game.
You tend to bowl long spells for West Indies and also when you play club cricket in the UK. What's the secret behind your endurance?
Well, funny enough, in the Caribbean, playing club cricket as a junior spinner at school, you had to learn to bowl long spells. So, from young, I was doing it playing for Combermere School in Barbados. When I was playing in the Lancashire league, I used to bowl 25 overs for Sefton Park as a pro. So that was very important for me to know that I have to get in those 25 overs. So from playing for Combermere and then on to Under-19s for Barbados as well.
When we played three-day cricket, I was constantly bowling long spells there as well. I always remember one quote: "You've got to get in the habit of bowling long spells as a spinner to get wickets." It stood out to me going forward and it's something that I put in my head from a young age. And I continue to bowl long spells up to this day.
In the 2021 Chattogram Test, now more famous for Kyle Mayers' double-century, you bowled 48 overs in the first innings in sapping heat. How challenging was that?
First of all, the conditions were very humid and breathing could be very difficult in Bangladesh. But when you are out of your team and you get an opportunity to come back, you do whatever it takes. It's as simple as that. So you have already programmed your mind and your mindset that it's going to be a hard set of overs you have to bowl. You've got to come out there and put your best foot forward. You've got to have determination and that will. So I'm confident that I know that if there's a job that needs to be done, whether it be 50 or 60 overs, I will be able to execute it and get it done.
Beating Bangladesh in Bangladesh is never easy. Do you have fond memories of that 2-0 series win in 2021?
For me, that was probably one of the best feelings ever, especially in terms of a series win. I think we actually created history. To see my partner Kyle [Mayers] with whom I was training throughout the year - we used to do gym and everything together - score that double-hundred... It was amazing to chase down that total [395] in Chattogram.
I remember the final game came down very close in Mirpur. They wanted like 15-18 runs with their last-wicket pair. And Kraigg [Brathwaite], our captain, wanted to take me off. And I said: "No, no Kraigg, you can do anything from the other end, but I'm going to win this game from this end for you."
Nkrumah Bonner told Kraigg he could feel it and asked him not to take me off. He said the spinners got hit for runs in the last over from the [other] end. But I said: "Kraigg, don't worry about this end."
And in that same over, I got the wicket of Mehidy Hasan Miraz and we won the series. It was such a special feeling. Funny enough, all the senior guys or the regular players did not come to that tour. So no one gave us a chance. No one in the Caribbean gave us a chance.
We, as a team, had nothing to lose. So we used that to our advantage. A lot of the guys were really hungry to make a name for themselves and they took the opportunity. And when we saw that we beat Bangladesh in the first Test, after chasing a total that was so difficult, the confidence and the belief in the squad was amazing.
Getting on the plane to head back home and on every stop to Dubai, people congratulated us for the win. Until you got home, congrats. You kept hearing "Congrats!"
You have also had success in Pakistan. How do you adapt to subcontinental conditions?
I have a strong belief: once things are in your favour, especially me as a spinner, which is a turning track, I utilise it to the best of my ability. So I don't take the opposition into mind. I just take the conditions into mind and what I need to do in those conditions to get success. I analyse the wicket, analyse the batters, analyse what I need to do to get wickets. And as I always tell all my players, if the wicket is flat, as a batter you score runs. If it's a green top, as a fast bowler you get wickets. If it's overcast as well, as a fast bowler you get wickets. And if the wicket is turning, as a spinner you should dominate.
In the Caribbean, conditions change drastically going from one island to another. Tell us about how you adjust to those home conditions, which often feel like away conditions.
What I've learned is to trust your game in every condition and understand your game and use your strength to your advantage. So if you're playing in St Lucia, where conditions are usually seaming, you go for the defensive option as a spinner and do that role. You look to just keep it tight and then wait until the fourth innings to start attacking as a spinner.
If you go to Trinidad, where it's supposed to turn, you've got to understand that you're the attacking option as a spinner. And you utilise your strength, which is varying your pace, turn the ball with guile and stuff as a spinner. Then you go to Barbados, which is my home town, and it's good for fast bowling. So again, you have to understand to be more defensive as a spinner and bowl a little flatter. You need to set the right fielders and everything to give yourself a chance and then wait until the fourth innings to express yourself. So it's about analysing the conditions and knowing when to attack or defend and break down the passages of play. That's very, very important for me.
You're the main spinner in Test cricket for West Indies, along with the captain, Roston Chase. Joshua Bishop, who is also a slow left-armer, could be in line for a debut in Bangladesh. Do you enjoy mentoring and helping out young spinners?
It's a pleasure. I always feel like experience and youth is a good combination. You've got the opportunity to share your knowledge and information. And I love to know that someone can learn something from you because things that I've experienced or went through or different conditions I've been in, or different parts of my games as well. You can only explain certain things or you can only speak to someone to get that same experience. And for me, being able to pass on knowledge and experience to anyone, especially youngsters, is a great feeling.
You're also part of the Test leadership group along with Chase and coach Daren Sammy. Do you like that extra responsibility?
I believe as a team, when we click together and everyone is in sync, I think that it makes life a lot easier for the team. And we as a unit, we have been winning more games these days. And discussions and executing [plans] has been amazing for us. And I just hope that we continue working together to continue to win more games as well.
You have been exposed to black and red-soil pitches here during this camp at the CSK academy in Chennai. How does this tune you up for the upcoming Bangladesh series?
Yes, they gave us different soils to practise on, just helping us to feel that we're in Bangladesh already, and the conversations that they were having. So a lot of information was given to us. A lot of different pitches were given to us as well for us to be well prepared and well settled when we get to Bangladesh. It feels like we were already in Bangladesh, readying for the series.
You made a comeback to the CPL in 2025 after being out of the competition for ten years. Barbados boy playing for Barbados Royals must have been a sweet feeling?
Yes, it was an amazing feeling. For me, I put that in the top five of my cricketing career. After not playing the CPL for so many years and getting an opportunity for Royals and your home country, that felt so good. I would love to get it again, and hopefully I will.
You have picked up over 400 first-class wickets, closing in on 100 Test wickets, and you're West Indies' Test vice-captain. Do you ever sit back and reflect on these achievements?
As a person, I reflect on everything and I love to plan everything that I do. Whenever I hit a milestone or whenever I get to a certain stage or a season is done, I sit back and reflect on it. I check my stats and say, "Wow, you're getting closer." Playing 100 first-class games is a huge achievement and I always wanted most wickets for Barbados and I have achieved that. My next step is 100 Test wickets for West Indies. Get there and reflect on it and improve further.
You said you're big on planning. Do you watch video footage of other spinners to pick up some tricks from them?
I love to watch Rangana Herath and he's always one of the persons I look up to as a spinner and I made my debut in Sri Lanka as well. So even before I played for West Indies, I enjoyed his bowling. He's similar to me in height and I feel our styles are similar. And then Keshav Maharaj. I have had a lot of conversations with Maharaj, discussing cricket and other stuff. I really enjoy chatting with him and watching him bowl.