Roston Chase Says Leading by Example Strengthens Team Belief Ahead of Pakistan Tests

West Indies Test captain Roston Chase believes strong individual performances from a captain inspire greater confidence within the team as he prepares to lead the Caribbean side in the two-match Test series against Pakistan, beginning on Saturday.

Fresh from a career-reviving innings of 194 against Sri Lanka, Chase admitted the knock brought him immense relief after enduring a prolonged lean spell with the bat.

"It's a good feeling to find some form after struggling for the past year in the batting department," Chase said. "That knock gave me a lot of confidence and a lot of relief, knowing that I can still perform for the team."

The 33-year-old emphasized that a captain's performances can have a significant impact on the dressing room.

"When you're a leader that goes out there and leads by example, everyone has a different level of respect for you. They believe in you even more and they want to play for you even more," he said.

Chase's 194, his sixth Test century and first since February 2019, ended a drought spanning 28 Test matches. The innings played a pivotal role in West Indies' innings victory over Sri Lanka, securing the series and giving the team its first win in the current ICC World Test Championship (WTC) cycle after seven defeats and two draws.

Despite returning to form, Chase remains uncertain about his bowling fitness after suffering an injury to his right index finger that ruled him out of the ODI series against New Zealand earlier this month.

"I'm not 100 percent yet," Chase said. "I bowled a few balls yesterday and there's still a bit of pain. But there's still some time before the first ball is bowled, so hopefully it improves."

West Indies currently sit eighth in the World Test Championship standings, one place above Pakistan. Chase revealed that the team's target for the cycle is to finish between fifth and sixth, making the upcoming series crucial.

"We wanted to set a realistic goal, and that was to finish around fifth or sixth," he said. "It's very important for us to win this series against Pakistan. If we do that, we'll move closer to those positions in both the World Test Championship table and the Test rankings."

The captain added that restoring West Indies to a competitive position in world cricket remains a major objective.

"It's been a while since West Indies cricket have been around fifth or sixth in the rankings. We really want to get back up there and make the nation proud," he said.

The West Indies squad has undergone a few changes ahead of the Pakistan series. Fast bowler Alzarri Joseph opted out of selection, while opener John Campbell is sidelined through injury and Anderson Phillip has been left out.

In their place, selectors have recalled top-order batter Kirk McKenzie, who featured in six Tests between 2023 and 2024, and handed a maiden call-up to left-arm spinner Joshua Bishop. McKenzie impressed during the recent West Indies Championship with 323 runs, including two centuries, while Bishop claimed 16 wickets for Barbados.

Chase backed both players to make a smooth transition to international cricket.

"McKenzie has had a taste of international cricket before, while this is Bishop's first opportunity," he said. "We just want to give them confidence and rally around them because coming into a new environment can be nerve-wracking."

He encouraged the newcomers to trust the approach that earned them selection.

"They had an outstanding West Indies Championship. I just want them to bring that same mentality into Test cricket. Be yourselves, play naturally and don't put too much pressure on yourselves. If they do that, I think they'll go well."

West Indies will open the two-match Test series against Pakistan on Saturday, aiming to build on their recent success against Sri Lanka and improve their standing in the World Test Championship.