Shamar Joseph was hardly able to walk on Saturday (January 27) evening as in only his second Test, the West Indies fast bowler was blown away by a searing inswinging yorker from Australia's Mitchell Starc during the third day of the pink-ball Test at the Gabba, which led to him retiring hurt.
Yet, astonishingly, less than a day later, Joseph delivered a legendary seven-wicket loaded spell which proved to be his career-defining moment as he dismantled Australia's top order and propelled West Indies to their first Test win on Australian soil in over two decades, since 1997. The 24-year-old bowler's remarkable performance included taking seven wickets in the afternoon session of the fourth day, dramatically changing the course of the Gabba Test. This came at a time when Australia were well on their path to a series clean sweep.
Shamar Joseph was adjudged player of the series for his stunning performances throughout the series. He took 13 wickets in a span of two Tests and scored 57 runs.
The journey of a visiting bowler excelling on Australian pitches is notable on its own, but the path he took from a remote part of the Caribbean to reach this pinnacle is almost unbelievable.
A quick ride of Shamar Joseph's inspiring journey
Joseph grew up in Baracara, a small village in the Caribbean Islands, isolated and reachable only by a two-day boat journey. This village, with a population of about 50, was not known for cricket, largely due to the limited access to television and the internet, which only arrived there in 2018.
A fan of Caribbean legends Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose, Joseph, a right-arm fast bowler, began to emulate these icons after watching their bowling highlights. Supporting his family and young son, he worked as a security guard in New Amsterdam and engaged in logging.
Joseph practiced cricket using fruits as makeshift balls and played tape-ball cricket, imitating the bowlers he admired.
As the first Test cricketer from Baracara, he played in second and first division matches for the Tucber Park Cricket Club. His journey took a significant turn when his Tucber teammate and neighbor, West Indies all-rounder Romario Shepherd, introduced him to Guyana's head coach Esuan Crandon. Joseph also attended a fast bowling clinic led by Ambrose, where he succeeded in impressing the cricket legend.
Mapping Shamar Joseph's cricketing career
Joseph's journey to first-class cricket with Guyana began in February last year, following his impressive performances in first division cricket. Until then, he had never represented Guyana at any level, but his undeniable talent led to his accelerated promotion.
Prior to this, he had left his job in New Amsterdam to focus entirely on cricket, a decision supported by his wife.
A pivotal moment in Joseph's burgeoning career occurred during his encounter with Prasanna Agoram, the former analyst for the South Africa cricket team, at the Caribbean Premier League the previous year. Agoram, who was working with the Guyana Amazon Warriors as an analyst, noticed Joseph, who was a net bowler for the team.
Agoram, now affectionately referred to by Joseph as his "father and mother," was impressed by just two deliveries Joseph bowled in the Guyana nets. He immediately recommended Warriors captain Imran Tahir to add Joseph to the squad. Joseph quickly made his T20 debut in the CPL, where his fast bowling caught everyone's attention.
Agoram even posted a video of Joseph's bowling on X, previously known as Twitter, and predicted his swift rise to the West Indies team. This was likely the first time the global cricket community became aware of him.
Gaining exposure was crucial, and just a few months later, Joseph emerged as the leading wicket-taker for his team, with 12 wickets at an average of 21.25 during the West Indies A's tour of South Africa.
When it came time for his Test debut, former West Indies fast bowler and now commentator Ian Bishop had the honor of presenting him with his Test cap. Before Joseph even had a chance to bowl, he made a mark with the bat, scoring the highest runs (36) for a number 11 on debut for the West Indies. Notably, he hit Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood for a six.
Joseph's first delivery in international cricket was like something out of a storybook. He dismissed the renowned Test player Steve Smith with his first ball and also claimed Marnus Labuschagne's wicket on the same day. At just 24 years old, he became only the second West Indies bowler to take a wicket with the first ball of his Test career.
While the fast bowler has aspirations to contribute to his hometown of Baracara, a place far from modern conveniences, he has already achieved something significant. He has inspired the youth in his birthplace to take up cricket, wielding bat and ball. Ian Bishop aptly remarked, "Test cricket and cricket in general needs these stories."
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