Hooper: 'I Still Have the Passion'

A day after being sacked as West Indies captain, Carl Hooper is hinting strongly he will stick around and make himself available for the upcoming series against Australia.

"I know that I still possess the physical skill, desire and passion...I'm a team player and I am willing to dedicate a high level of commitment under any leadership. It's the success of the West Indies team that matters," Hooper said, insisting he was "relishing the thought" of playing against the mighty Australia.

"I would be less than honest if I didn't indicate that I was relishing the thought of playing against the Australians. I believe my experience will be a valuable asset," Hooper said in a statement released in the midst of the Carib Beer semi finals when he was battling to secure first innings points for Guyana.

The 36-year-old Hooper said he accepted the decision of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) to go in another direction, noting that the West Indies captaincy "is not a God-given right of anyone."

Hooper, who scored 129 in a losing effort against Jamaica, said he was "grateful" for the opportunity to lead the side during the rebuilding process. "Significantly, it is the very availability of the obvious talent [that have come through the rebuilding process] that I need to take into consideration in determining my immediate future," he added.

"I must be unselfish and ask myself if my presence in the team would not be unfair and block a young player [from developing]," he said. "The next few weeks will determine the role I can play in West Indies cricket and the direction my life will take," the Guyanese batsman said.