Bravo thrilled to be back among the buzz

Dwayne Bravo is eager to make up for lost time as he continues his comeback from the ankle injury that kept him out of the West Indies side for eight months. He returned to the line-up for the Twenty20 victory in Trinidad and will be a key player in the five-match one-day series which starts in Guyana on Friday.

"It's been a bit depressing in terms of not being able to play but I'm happy with the way the way the guys have been performing," he told Cricinfo. "I've been following the team closely and have watched a lot of the games. I'm impressed and happy with the way they have played. Chris Gayle is doing a fantastic job leading the side and I'm just grateful to get the opportunity to get back on the field."

It is a mark of West Indies' recent improvements that they secured the Test series against England without one of their most influential players. Bravo to West Indies is like Andrew Flintoff to England. Take him out of the side and it equates to the loss of two players. However, whereas Flintoff's absence for the final two Tests created a hole England couldn't fill, West Indies overcame the absence of Bravo thanks to the emergence of a number of new faces.

"[Brendan] Nash is one of them," Bravo said. "He has had a really good start to his international career and is what the side needed. It's good to see now that the guys are moving on from playing well in patches and continuing to play well throughout matches, improving on a lot of mistakes they have made before. Everyone understands their roles a bit more and everyone is helping each other."

Bravo is such a hyperactive cricketer that he has done well to restrain himself while on the sidelines. So it was no surprise the moment he stepped back onto the field he made an impact. It may only have been as a substitute, but his swooping, pick-up and direct hit to run out Owais Shah in Trinidad encapsulated what Bravo brings to the team.

As West Indies lost wickets at regular intervals on the final afternoon of that match, Bravo was on the player balcony living every delivery. As the end got nearer with Denesh Ramdin and Fidel Edwards blocking out the final over he began hugging his team-mates like an excitable child. He didn't miss out on the celebrations, either.

"The camaraderie is something you miss and that was all good," he said. "It was a great party, we all know how to celebrate and party in West Indies so it was very easy to celebrate as it comes naturally to us."

Now, though, Bravo has the chance to make his own mark. He began in the Twenty20 with a bustling spell and some livewire fielding and should be able to play an even more central role in the 50-over matches. However, after such a long time out there is still a slightly cautious mindset about not trying too much too soon.

"I wouldn't say my ankle has healed the way I want it to at this point in time, there are still some niggles and soreness ever so often, but whereas I used to get a pain before I don't get that anymore," he said. "The scans show that the surgery was done well and now it's just about getting the strength back in my ankle and getting it accustomed to the workload that will come my way. I'm taking it slowly but surely and have a good medical team behind me who are making sure I don't rush back into things."

Bravo still plans to take his place in the second edition of the IPL with the Mumbai Indians which is tentatively scheduled to begin on April 10. Even though that remains very much up in the air given the security concerns around the India elections, Bravo said he has no concerns about making the trip despite mounting worries over the event.

"It's a part of my schedule. I'm aware of everything that's been going on in the world but I'm not going to let it stop me playing cricket," he said. "It won't get me scared. If I have to go play and cricket I will. Anything can happen anywhere in the world so we have just got to hope all goes well and the tournament is a success."

If the IPL does go ahead as planned the West Indies players involved are then due to head straight to England for their Test and one-day series. "It's my dream to score a hundred at Lord's," Bravo said, and there is the prospect that the tour could be something of a family affair.

Dwayne's brother, Darren, is enjoying an impressive second season to his young career with 499 runs at 62.37 in the four-day competition. The word in the Caribbean is that he isn't far off international selection at the age of 20 and Dwayne said it's only a matter of time.

"I think sooner or later the Bravo brothers will play together. I can't say how soon, but Darren is having a very good season," he said. "I hope he can continue in the same vein and put his name in the frame for the England tour. If he scores runs everything will take care of itself and you will see the two of us. We are very close and we are just waiting for the day when he step on the cricket field together."

Having two D Bravos in the same line-up opens the prospect of all sorts of confusion, but at the moment West Indies are just glad to have the older brother back. Right now, he is hungry to show what they have been missing.