SHIVNARINE Chanderpaul has finally called it a day; he has retired from international cricket. At age 41 going on 42, he is well past the normal retirement age for contemporary cricketers.
That he is now retiring has a lot to do with his durability and his hunger to play cricket. Some have characterised this as selfishness on his part and have been calling for his exit for quite a while.
So what is Chanderpaul’s legacy to the game he played with much distinction? How will he be remembered? At a broader level, his career coincided with the decline of West Indies fortunes. That cannot be overlooked for cricket is ultimately a team sport. But he is not alone in this regard; he is a contemporary of the great Brian Lara. Should the inability of the team to benefit from the great contributions of these players as far as victories go, be held against them? Maybe there is something to be teased out there, but ultimately a player’s performance cannot be denied.
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