"Considered but not selected". That was the terminology used by Selections Committee Chairman, Clyde Butts, to explain Dwayne Bravo's exclusion from the West Indies teams to tour Bangladesh and India this month. This most recent exclusion from the West Indies Test and One Day Internationals (ODIs), is perhaps providing further evidence of the disappointing deterioration of Bravo's international cricket career. A development that has undoubtedly been fueled by his apparent inability, or desire, to fulfill his immense and obvious cricketing talents.

Those disappointing figures provided the most recent testimony of just how far Bravo's cricket has slipped since he burst on to the international scene in 2004. Born in Santa Cruz, Trinidad, the same village as his more illustrious cousin, Brian Charles Lara, he made his Test Debut on July 22, during the Lords 1st Test of the England-West Indies Series.
The 3-74 he took with the ball in England's massive first innings total of 568 and the 44 he scored in the West Indies reply, signaled the emergence of a genuine all-rounder. He scored 220 runs from 8 innings during that four Test Series, at an average of 27.5. He was even better with the ball, taking 16 wickets at the very respectable average of 26.17
In the 40 Tests he has played since his 2004 debut, Bravo has scored 2200 runs from 71 innings for an average of 31.42. Those runs have included 3 centuries and 13 fifties with his highest score being the 113 he made against hosts Australia during the 2nd Test of the 2005-06 Series.
Controversially dropped for the Brisbane 1st Test, which Australia won convincingly, he was recalled for the 2nd in Hobart. His superb 113, was the major contribution to a 182 run seventh wicket partnership with fellow Trinidadian Dinesh Ramdin.
Bravo's innings lifted the West Indies and helped them regain some pride, forcing the Australians to bat for a second time in the match. In the third and final match of the series at Adelaide, Bravo bowled a superb spell in the Australians first innings taking 6 for 84 including the wickets of Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting and Adam Gilchrist.
With the ball, Bravo has so far taken 86 wickets in Tests at an average of 39.83 and an economy rate of 3.16. He took 6-55 against England at Old Trafford in August, 2004, which remains his best Test figures to date. He has two five wicket and six four wicket hauls to his credit so far in Tests.
Bravo's One Day International statistics are even more telling of his immense, if unfulfilled, potential as a genuine all-rounder. Scoring 1910 runs from 96 innings in 117 matches, at an average of 24.17, including one century and five fifties suggests talent that has not been fully exploited. So too does his bowling returns of 136 wickets, at an average of 29.81 apiece, with a 5.25 economy rate.
In Tests and One Day Internationals, when at his very best, Bravo has been reminiscent of Trinidad's greatest all-rounder ever: Sir Learie Constantine. With the ball he's shown the ability to bamboozle opposing batmen with cleverly disguised slower deliveries. With bat, at number six in the order, he's often made valuable contributions, as evidenced by his three Test centuries and thirteen fifties. In the field his catching and throwing have been exemplary, at times even breathtakingly brilliant.
Bravo was once considered valued enough to have led the West Indies in two One Day Internationals against Zimbabwe in 2007 and a single Test against South Africa in Durban that same year. Relegated to the sidelines for Tests and ODIs, he now spends the majority of his cricketing days plying his trade in the lucrative big money 20/20 Leagues around the world.
Now regarded as one of the most sought after 20/20 players, Bravo is actually having a relatively good season in the current Indian Professional League Champions Trophy Championship. In the three matches he's played for the Chennai Super Kings so far he has had scores of 32 and 46 not out in the two innings he's batted and returns of 1/25, 2/23 and 2/22 respectively, the three times he's bowled.
Bravo's many fans around the world will be hoping that his encouraging IPL performances with bat and ball will be evidence of a renewed desire to fulfill his obvious, if unexploited potential. The most recent "considered but not selected" exclusion from the West Indies tours to Bangladesh and India will hopefully, have stung enough to serve as a much needed eye opener and wake up call.
The West Indies selectors have sent him a message that, as talented as he may be, he is now no longer considered an automatic selection to West Indies touring fifteen member Squads, let alone the final XI! Luckily for Bravo, the Bangladesh and India tours are of relatively minor importance. Much stronger challenges await the West Indies next spring and summer, when they will play hosts to Australia and tour England.
If Bravo can use the current Indian Champions League Season and the West Indies domestic matches to his cricket back in order, he could well feature in the West Indies' plans for 2012. In every sense of the word he is leaps and bound ahead of Darren Sammy, with bat, ball and as a fielder. Yet today, the latter now occupies the "all-rounder" spot on the team and has even been made the substitute captain, as a replacement for the out-of-favor Chris Gayle.
Had Bravo concentrated more on developing his cricketing skills, during the past year, who knows he could well have been the West Indies captain today. Instead, through a combination of injuries, loss of form and the pursuit of extra-curricular activities such as his recently launched music video in collaboration with Jamaican Reggae Star Beenie Man, he has instead found himself seriously out of favor with the selectors.
Whether his Test and One Day International career, under West Indies colors can be revived, therefore remains to be seen. West Indies cricket fans around the world, this one included, will be hoping that it can.