ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Terrance Hinds is into his fifth season as a first-class player, but prior to getting the chance to live the dream of playing the sport that he loves, life for the allrounder from Trinidad and Tobago was like a rollercoaster.
Violence was not an event in his life; it was the rhythm of it. It shaped the way he walked, the way he watched, and the way he waited. Every decision was calculated and every step measured.
In his childhood, boys from Hinds’ community were easy to overlook, blending into the background of broken streets and forgotten places. However, there was strong belief that the same streets that ignored him would one day be forced to see him after fashioning his game after renowned West Indian allrounder Andre Russell.
An unbroken 253-run sixth-wicket partnership between Hinds and his Red Force teammate Amir Jangoo against the Leeward Islands Hurricanes at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua highlighted Hinds’ resilience, as he reiterated that his survival mentality and upbringing taught him something more powerful than fear; it taught him how to endure.
“Playing cricket took me out of a lot of bad situations, so that is very important to me. I was born and raised in Port of Spain, a place where you don’t get find many cricketers originating from,” Hinds shared. “Down there is more like a ghetto, so for me to come out from a place like that to play professional cricket and represent the West Indies is a big accomplishment.”
Determined not to be the product of his environment, the 34-year-old created his pathway through grit.
“Coming from poverty, I will say I didn’t grow up with everything that I wanted but cricket has given me a new lease on life and everything that I have now so I’m thankful because playing professional cricket for your country or a franchise around the world is something big and I always dreamt of that at a young age.”
When he reached his century, Hinds lifted his bat and hands to the heavens, a gesture rich with personal meaning.
“I lost my mom and couple family members through Covid-19, so every chance I get, I use it to represent them,” Hinds explained. “My mom and sister departed weeks apart, then my grandmother and my uncle followed after, which was really heartbreaking for me.”
While his international debut in November 2024 for the West Indies and centuries for his beloved Trinidad and Tobago rank among the most surreal moments of his career, his foremost priority now is helping the Red Force return to regional supremacy.
Terrance Hinds on his T20I debut against England at the Kensington Oval in Barbados.
“We just need to take it step by step. Cricket is a funny thing, and you don’t want to rush anything. Even though we are thankful for the strong start to the series, the team is aware that there is a bigger objective at stake for us.”
For Terrance Hinds, every run is more than a statistic; it is a symbol of survival, a tribute to those he has lost, and a reminder that his journey is still being written.
(CWI Media)
