West Indies as a limited overs side definitely has all the ingredients required to succeed at the highest stage. However, due to some serious administration issues within the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), the Calypso Kings end up playing nowhere to their full potential and that has been evident in their downfall in ODI’s.
A clear instance of administration issues with West Indies cricket can be summarized by the way the likes of Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard have been managed by the board. The two all-rounders, who are genuine match winners are time and again overlooked by the selectors for ODI’s despite having impressive numbers. As a result of not having the best squad on paper, the West Indians end up as a disappointing unit.
In a recent chat with ESPN Cricinfo, the former captain, and batting great Brian Lara spoke in favor of the two all rounder, and said that both should be selected for the tri-series featuring Australia and South Africa. “In terms of the tri-nations, I think it’s going to be a pretty exciting tri-nations series,” Lara said. “And hopefully, we can have the likes of Pollard and Bravo – some guys who have not played that form of the game recently – back in the team because they are integral to any West Indies team. “Just to have them for the T20 version I think is doing a disservice to the West Indies cricket.”
West Indies coach Phil Simmons said that if the best squad wasn’t selected, then it would just make things easier for the opposing teams. “There has been talking already that players who did not come back and play in the Super50 won’t be selected for ODI cricket,” Simmons said. “But you are talking about seven or eight of the best players in the world.”If you are not going to select them, then the other two teams coming into this tri-series are going to be smiling, because the challenge of playing against West Indies at home without Gayle, Darren Sammy, Russell, Bravo, Simmons seems easier,” he said.
“We have seen what all of them can do in the World T20 and we have seen what they can do in 50-over cricket. “In order for us to not be scrambling to qualify for the next World Cup, we need to be winning and moving up the table.” “So going forward perhaps that is another area we can review,” Simmons concluded.