Not only is Rahkeem Cornwall almost six-and-a-half-feet tall, his bulk - uncommon in modern-day cricket set-ups - makes heads turn. But he's much more than that. Since his first-class debut in 2014 as a 20-year-old offspinner, Cornwall has added big-hitting to his repertoire to become a competent allrounder; his high-action offbreaks, delivered from over two metres, earned him at least 40 wickets in every first-class season he appeared in before his elevation to the Test team.

Cornwall, born in Liberta, Antigua's third-largest town, followed in the footsteps of his maternal uncle Wilden Cornwall - who played 53 first-class games - to take up cricket. He first became a contender for international cricket in 2017 when he scored 252 runs in the 2017 Regional Super50 at an average of 50 and a strike rate of nearly 120, while taking ten wickets at an economy rate of 3.63. At the time, then chairman of selectors Courtney Browne had said that Cornwall had been identified as a "special talent", but needed extra attention - like special coaching and having a dietician - before being considered for the senior side.

Over the next two years, excellent performances for Leeward Islands as an allrounder earned Cornwall a spot in West Indies A, and he delivered 23 wickets at an average of 19 in Sri Lanka. Against the touring Indians in 2017, Cornwall impressed with the wickets of Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara. England Lions toured the Caribbean in 2018, and Cornwall collected 19 wickets at 18.42 to help West Indies A blank the visitors 3-0.

When an injured Roston Chase was unavailable for India's 2019 tour of West Indies, Cornwall was handed a maiden Test call-up in August 2019. In the same month, he was awarded the Domestic Cricketer of the Year award by Cricket West Indies. Two weeks later, he became the 319th man to wear the West Indies Test cap.
Sreshth Shah