Hailing from Dominica’s capital city of Roseau, Kavem Hodge is a batting all-rounder representing the West Indies. Hodge, a right-handed batter, bats in the middle order and contributes with the ball through his slow left-arm spin. Hodge spent most of his early years in Antrizle, and it was in that tiny village on the coast where his cricketing journey began.
Having had the experience of playing first-class cricket for the Windward Islands, he was named in the West Indies squad for the 2012 Under-19 World Cup in Australia. West Indies finished 6th in the competition, but Hodge could not impress much with the limited opportunities he got. Prior to the 2013–14 domestic season, he made the switch to Combined Campuses. Hodge was also picked up by the St. Lucia Zouks in the inaugural edition of the Caribbean Premier League but could not get a game. After grinding it out for several years in the West Indies domestic arena, Hodge came into the spotlight when he found himself in the Cricket West Indies B Team for the first-ever Global T20 Canada.
A couple of months later, he made his CPL debut for the St. Lucia Stars but failed to come into the spotlight. Hodge announced his return to the Windward Islands by emerging as the leading run-scorer for the team, amassing 179 runs in eight matches of the 2018–19 Regional Super50 tournament. In the next edition of the Regional Super50 tournament, the Windward Islands were knocked out in the group stage, but he was one of the few bright spots in that campaign. With 341 runs to his name from seven matches, Hodge finished the tournament as the highest run-getter for the Windward Islands.
His consistent performances paved the way for his inclusion in the West Indies team for the first time. Hodge received his maiden call-up to the Test side for the tour of Bangladesh in 2021. However, he was on the sidelines during the entire Test series in Bangladesh. Hodge’s big break came in 2023, when he was picked up in the ODI squad for the series against the United Arab Emirates.
In the first ODI at Sharjah, he was handed his maiden ODI cap as he became the only second Dominican cricketer to play ODI cricket for the West Indies. Later in the year, he toured South Africa with the West Indies A side for three four-day games.
In the series opener, Hodge’s 73-run knock helped the West Indies take the first-inning lead and eventually win the game by one wicket. He could not do much in the next couple of games, but the West Indies selectors showed faith in him by including him in the West Indies Test team for the 2024 Test series in Australia. On January 17, 2024, he made his much-awaited Test debut at the iconic Adelaide Oval, marking the beginning of what many hoped would be a promising international career.
Just months later, in July 2024, Hodge proved those expectations were well-placed. On the hallowed grounds of Trent Bridge, he scored a brilliant 120 runs off 171 balls against England, announcing himself on the world stage with his maiden Test century.
