The win in the first Test against Sri Lanka was West Indies' first of the ongoing WTC cycle, and the series win, after the second Test was drawn, their first in 11 attempts, the last in 2023. And it was down to the batting, signalling a big change in the way West Indies have performed in Tests in recent years, where it's been the fast bowlers, in the main, giving them whatever little chance they have had.
"Yeah, the batting is something that we put a lot of emphasis on because it was mostly the bowling that was standing up for us in the majority of the games," Roston Chase, their captain, said after the second Test ended on Tuesday. "It's something that I really put forth to the guys that we need to be able to at least give the bowlers something to work with and they raised their hands tremendously in this series."
In the first Test, West Indies batted just once and put up 626 for 9 declared, with Amir Jangoo scoring 233 and Chase himself 194, the two putting on 401 for the fifth wicket. In the second, it was the partnership between Justin Greaves (180) and Shai Hope (112), worth 242, that helped them save the game.
"We had four hundreds [in the series]. I mean, we've been scoring hundreds in the past games but these are big hundreds and not only that, we turn them into big totals as well," Chase said. "Not just one guy getting a hundred and we probably just getting over 250, but for two guys to get hundreds in two innings, that says a lot.
"Yes, I'm very elated, especially against a team like Sri Lanka, that we struggle to beat even at home and especially when we go away to them - it's very difficult to beat them. So to come here and to beat them - just not beat them but in a dominating kind of way - is very pleasing. And we haven't won against them in 23 years. It feels great, especially after the year that we had last year, to come and start the year with this series victory, it feels great."
Chase hoped the performance, especially with the bat, would set West Indies up for the future and not be the sort of false dawn they have been used to in recent years.
"I think this is a stepping stone for us going forward," he said. "Especially, we sit down and we plan for this Test Championship and we said last year it was going to be tough and it was tough. But we said this year we think that the two series at home especially, these are series that we'll be looking to dominate and to win. So I just want the guys to continue from this and let this be a stepping stone, as I said.
"And not just leave it there and think, 'oh, we won one series and that's enough'. I think we need to just have that consistency. I think winning games consistently, that would be great for us in terms of growth and going forward as a cricket nation.
"This is [also] the first series that I really had an outstanding performance. I've been trying for the last series and stuff but to go and actually lead from the front, it feels great. So yeah, I just want to congratulate the guys for helping me to achieve this as the leader of the team."
West Indies' next Test assignment is another two-match series, against Pakistan at home in July-August. Pakistan are the only team below West Indies on the WTC points table, but unlike West Indies, Pakistan are still in the mix for the final since they have played just four Tests so far.