Who is Mikyle Louis - the first Kittitian Test cricketer?

"You've got to think big, you know. Don't think too small,” Kraigg Brathwaite’s advice was quite clear to the youngster Mikyle Louis. 

In the 96 years of West Indies’ Test cricketing history, Louis became the first player to make his debut from the island of St Kitts, despite it being one of the oldest islands in the Caribbean. 

Louis has done it all at the age of 23, replacing Tagenarine Chanderpaul in the starting XI for the West Indies against England at Lord’s on Wednesday (July 10). At the age of 16, Louis made his first List A appearance for the West Indies U-19 team when they faced Trinidad and Tobago back in 2017.

Over the next four matches, Louis could only amass 14 runs, batting at No.9, owing to his primary skill — leg spin. Louis picked up three wickets, including figures of 2/45 against the Windward Islands. 

Later, he went on to represent the U-19 side against international opponents, with a 14-ball 14 against South Africa U-19s in Chatsworth. But his potential with the ball was still raw, given that he went wicketless across the two games. 

At that point, it was much easier for him to give up the sport than pursue it, but that’s where Louis showed his mental strength to show the world what he was capable of. Until earlier this year in February, no one really believed his talents. 

That’s when Louis started putting things together, making his first-class debut for Leewards Islands. Over the next seven matches, the right-hander made the right noise, with 682 runs, averaging 48.71. 

But this time at the top of the order, a dramatic turnaround echoing Australian legend Steve Smith. 

While his debut innings was disappointing (9), Louis showed his class in the second innings when his gritty 55 helped Leewards Islands score 232. It was really in his second FC game against Guyana where he demonstrated a really good measure of his game at the top of the order. 

Across the two innings against Guyana, the right-hander scored 113 and 130, with 31 boundaries. He played the headlining act in Basseterre and earned his first Player of the Match award as well. Louis then went on to finish his first season as the leading run-scorer (682 runs), scoring 100 more than his captain, Brathwaite. 

That was enough to convince the Windies selector Desmond Haynes of his talent. 

"We are confident that this blend of seasoned players and emerging faces will perform admirably against England," said Haynes.

Even before he could make his West Indies debut, the government of St Kitts and Nevis had already awarded him with a ‘national recognition’. Further, the St Kitts Federal Cabinet of Ministers have also approved naming a stand after him at the Warner Park Cricket Stadium in St Kitts' capital, Basseterre. 

They have gone one step further, offering a $10,000 grant and naming a road in his honour. It wasn’t just one delight in the Louis family, with his brother Jeremiah also named as a replacement for the injured Kemar Roach. 

And here he was taking on the giants England at the Home of Cricket - Lord’s. Even the darkest of clouds and a record-breaking James Anderson weren’t enough to stop Louis on his debut. The right-hander stood tall, and his batting stood taller than the clouds. At drinks, the batter was already comfortable at the crease, with 23 off 39, with three fours and one monstrous six. 

While he eventually was dismissed for 27 thanks to a brilliant catch from Harry Brook, Louis showed his worth in his short stay of 58 balls as the West Indies ushered into a new era.

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