Simmons keen to forge a new, successful era for WI

The full reign of West Indies head coach Philip Verant Simmons starts in real earnest next month with the  West Indies tour to Sri Lanka, followed later by another to still wounded Australia which had been so dumfounded and discombobulated by England recently. Recently, Sri Lanka has held its own well against India, another of the “Big Three”. Australia, with retirements and refurbishments after embarrassments in England, will want to show that its last English tour was just a sour blip.

The big WI question would be to ascertain if the WI head coach position is indeed the poisoned chalice as has been suggested by many in the past, some even lamenting that “WI cricketers are un-coachable.” That simply cannot be true.

WI’s team to Sri Lanka has been named, the most obvious change and massive surprise being that recent captain Denesh Ramdin has been demoted to being just player, wicket-keeper and tourist, while Jason Holder, justly, with visages of WI’s future, has been elevated to Test captain.