The Independent Voice of West Indies Cricket

Where do the Windies go from here?

Wed, Oct 17, '18

by KRISSANIA YOUNG

Commentary

Not for the first time this series, Windies erred in team selection—once again self-sabotaging even before a ball was bowled. This time, it was in the decider, while trailing the two-match series 1-0. Assuming Stuart Law had final say on the playing eleven, he then has much to account for after his abysmal decision-making throughout the Test series. First off, there was the decision to play three seamers and a solitary spinner on a wicket that was admittedly, deceptively grassy. However, there were visible cracks in the pitch on the first morning. A fit Kemar Roach was then made to sit out a must-win, while an unnecessary extra batsman was employed by the visitors.

All things being equal, West Indies is a balanced unit with five bowlers, the proportion of spin to seam being relevant to conditions. If one is fully aware of this principle, yet still reverts to unsuccessful methods, it is then safe to say learning has not taken place; therefore, progress cannot occur. At this point, when Windies has what can be labelled as a ‘balanced’ bowling attack, the team NEEDS a more perceptive coach, one to lead this attempt of transformation from the front.

With the visible difference in Indian spinner, Kuldeep Yadav’s action when bowling his stock delivery versus the googly, and the Caribbean men’s lack of competency against him, it was called into question the work being done behind the scenes with and by Windies batsmen. Being the number eight ranked team of ten nations, seven of the nine teams the Caribbean team will face will be ranked above them. Therefore, Windies must aim to become a detail-oriented batting line-up; arming themselves with all the information privy to them on opposition bowlers through the use of technology.

India held a dominant upper hand at the start of Day three, but a rampant Jason Holder dragged the visitors back into the contest. One might even argue that the captain had put the visitors in front at the stroke of lunch. However, to see how the batsmen laid to waste the bowlers’ hard work was to epitomise the state of Windies Cricket, where the bowling attack has found a rhythm while the batsmen have yet to choose their respective instruments.

Can one question the abilities of the likes of Shai Hope and Shimron Hetmyer? The flare and swagger of Windies batsmen call to mind a flash of brilliance or a darting run from a winger who has failed to fulfil his potential for whatever reason. These batsmen may want to do well, but beyond their talent there must be temperament and hunger. Vice-captain Kraigg Brathwaite, the best batsman in this current West Indies team is arguably the least talented. However, of Holder’s seven wins as Test captain, Brathwaite has had a major hand in six. The twenty-five-year-old also has eight Test centuries and seventeen half centuries. Brathwaite is not the most talented, but he is effective. What, then, does this say for our more talented players? If it is a question of attitude that prevents Windies batsmen from moving in the same direction as their bowling compatriots, then there is no need to look further than their most senior batsman for the remedy.

It should be an honour and a privilege to play for the West Indies. Therefore, selectors should not hesitate to ask an underperforming player for proof of character. This will indubitably benefit the player and the team in the long run. The most recent example; Shane Dowrich, had 315 runs in nineteen innings throughout 2017, at an average of 17.5, which included one century and a half-century. Wicketkeeper batsman, Jahmar Hamilton was then drafted into the Windies squad for the visiting Sri Lanka’s tour. Dowrich in that series went on to accumulate 288 runs in six innings, including his second Test ton and two half centuries, averaging 57.6, while earning the man of the series award.

Additionally, Denesh Ramdin was dropped from the Windies team after averaging 22.10 from January 2014 to January 2016 with an overall Test average of 25. This was after more than a decade in the Windies set up. In a quest, though, to make it back to the international level, Ramdin ended the 2017/2018 season of the Regional Four Day Competition as the second highest run scorer with 799 runs in 10 matches at an average of 61.46. He was second only to Devon Smith. Ramdin even gave up the gloves in an attempt to focus on his batting.

There has been a tendency in the Caribbean to lay blame SOLELY on the board after a player is dropped, letting the players off scot-free, not holding players accountable for failing to fulfilling their potential while in the team. Far too many players have come and gone through West Indies Cricket being too ‘comfortable’, no ‘fire being set to their tails’. In echoing Jason Holder’s sentiments after the 2-0 series defeat to India, “there are times that you got to put your foot down and let people know exactly when they are not pulling their weight”. Windies batsmen are not pulling their weight.