“I loved the way you talk.”
“Thank you,” he replied with a smile.
“Can you imagine yourself in the commentary box one day?”
“Probably, I don’t know. We’ll see. We’ll see how it goes.”
That was the opening exchange with Kavem Hodge, the West Indies batter who finished the fourth day of the Sylhet Test unbeaten on 140. It was his third Test century, all three coming away from home. He also crossed the 1,000-run mark in the format. Riding on his career-best innings, West Indies ended the day in a commanding position, with a 315-run lead.
Understandably, Hodge was in a relaxed and cheerful mood after the press conference. With media manager Jerome Foster usually keeping reporters at a distance from the cricketers, a chance encounter offered an opportunity to strike up a conversation.
During a short walk from the press conference room towards the West Indies dressing room, across the Sylhet main ground, Hodge spoke about his affection for Test cricket, his friendship with Alick Athanaze, who toured Bangladesh with the West Indies last year, and the possibility of becoming a commentator in the future.
As mentioned earlier, there is something about Hodge, particularly the way he speaks. His calm, clear tone and expressive hand gestures while answering journalists’ questions make conversations with him enjoyable and engaging. And, of course, there is his batting.
Following his third Test century, fellow Caribbean great Ian Bishop was full of praise for Hodge, sharing his thoughts from the commentary box. Despite making his first-class debut in 2012, Hodge had to wait until 2024 to make his Test debut, against Australia. A late bloomer in the longest format, he has since played 19 Tests. He also featured in four ODIs between 2023 and 2024 before being left out of the West Indies’ white-ball setup.
Bishop had reflected on that during the broadcast, telling his co-commentator: “I got a feel for cricketers like Kavem Hodge who only play Test cricket.”
Asked about Bishop’s observation, Hodge made no secret of his desire to return to white-ball cricket.
“I would love to play white-ball cricket. It’s just about the opportunity. I can’t pick myself. Somebody has to pick me. So I would love to play white-ball cricket. I think I probably will soon, you know. I just have to perform and keep going,” he said.
Hodge hails from Dominica, an island that has produced recent Test cricketers such as the Shillingford cousins, Grayson and Irvine. He also shares a deep affection for Test cricket, which he considers the pinnacle of the game.
At a time when franchise cricket has increasingly drawn West Indies players away from the traditional international game, with several prominent names, including Dwayne Bravo and Chris Gayle, opting out of central contracts to pursue lucrative T20 opportunities, Hodge remains committed to the longest format.
Against that backdrop, he was asked what drives his motivation to keep playing Test cricket and what makes the five-day game worth pursuing.
“If you look at a lot of international players who play even one-day or T20 cricket, that’s where they made their name in Test cricket. That is what tests you,” he said.
Hodge spoke about what Test cricket means to him beyond the demands of the game. For the West Indies batter, it is the ultimate test of a cricketer’s character and ability, and the format that brings out the best in him.
“That is the purest form of the game. That is what really judges you as a person, as a cricketer. And everybody wants to go through that, you know? It’s just the love for the game and what it demands of you. And it helps to bring the best out of you. Test is definitely the pinnacle of cricket.”
After that part of the conversation, Hodge was approached with a few more questions, this time about his friendship with Athanaze and the Nottingham Test where he scored his maiden century.
That innings also featured a 175-run partnership, during which Hodge had to endure a fierce pace barrage from Mark Wood. The English fast bowler’s hostility was so relentless that Hodge eventually joked to him, “Hey, I have a wife and kids at home.”
But when asked to revisit that episode, Hodge, in his typically calm manner, simply replied, “Maybe some other days,” before sealing the exchange with a fist bump.
