Alzarri on Sammy relationship: I represent West Indies, not Daren Sammy

Joseph: “I don’t go there to make friends”

West Indies fast bowler Alzarri Joseph has responded to comments made by Daren Sammy that he “declined selection” for the ongoing Test series against Pakistan, saying the coach’s statement was “controversial” and “without context.”

In a press release confirming the team ahead of the series, CWI stated that Joseph was “unavailable for selection due to personal reasons.” However, when addressing the Antiguan’s absence, Sammy declared, “Mr. Joseph has declined selection.”

Joseph, in the meantime, now says he had conversations with both Cricket West Indies and Sammy while deciding on his unavailability.

“We had a chat, I and the head coach. I’ve also had a chat with CWI, and if you realize the statement CWI released said ‘personal reasons'," Joseph began to explain on the Good Morning Jojo Sport Show earlier this week.

“I’ve been out for an entire year. I haven’t played at international intensity for so long after having a second stress fracture. We spoke about me playing the two Test matches here, playing five back-to-back ODIs, and how my body was feeling, and I knew my body was not ready to go into another Test series. So, the statement in itself is controversial, without context,” he expounded.

Joseph returned from a 10-month injury layoff in the Sri Lanka ODIs in June. He then featured in both Tests against the Asian side and the five ODIs against New Zealand that followed. 

Sammy alluded to Joseph’s recent injury as a possible influence for the 29-year-old’s decision to forgo the Pakistan series. 

“He's now coming from injury, and for reasons since, he has declined the selection,” Sammy said.

Still, the Windies coach went on to question a “contracted player's” capacity to turn down selection.

“I leave that with the directors to come up with whatever solution that is—where contracted players get to decline selection,” Sammy said at the time. 

“Mr. Sammy, being around for a long time, knows exactly what that statement would have done, so to be honest, I have nothing to say to Mr. Sammy in terms of his statement. He knows exactly what that statement would have done and the narrative it would have pushed in the public,” Joseph responded.

Whatever turn his relationship with Sammy has taken due to the current situation, Joseph insists it won’t affect his accountability towards the team.

“I’m a professional, so I’m going to go to work,” Joseph said. “I am representing the West Indies. I’m not representing Daren Sammy, so for me, I’m neither here nor there in terms of a relationship. I don’t go there to make friends. I go there to work and do a job and represent the people of the West Indies.”