The following was written by a school friend on Facebook.
Last night I was watching the cricket programme “Game On with Grace,” hosted by Grace Hayden. She was interviewing a young American cricketer, Utkarsh Srivastava, and at one point she asked him which MLC team he would most like to play for. Without hesitation, he said Washington Freedom. His reason was that their setup includes Ricky Ponting as coach and players like Travis Head, Steve Smith, and Glenn Maxwell. He said that being around individuals of that calibre, given their knowledge, success, and achievements, would accelerate his growth and help shape him into the kind of player he wants to become. It made me think about our own situation in the West Indies. What exactly can current or aspiring players learn from the people presently leading our team management? I remember how Tendulkar and Kohli both openly credit Viv Richards as a defining influence, teaching them fearlessness, dominance, mental strength, and the mindset to impose themselves on the opponent, and you begin understand the value of strong influences for world-class leaders who have achieved success and can impart knowledge, expertise and competence to young people who also crave to be successful and only need help from competent and inspirational people. Tendulkar drew from Richards’ authority and technique, while Kohli mirrored his aggression and competitive fire. Both became modern greats by learning from someone who embodied excellence. That’s the real difference. Young players grow when they are surrounded by leaders who inspire greatness, not mediocrity. When you look at the IPL, you see how much they value real mentorship. Every franchise brings in legends of the game not just for strategy, but to inspire, guide, and shape young players into professionals who understand what excellence truly requires. Their presence lifts standards, strengthens team management, and creates a culture where players grow simply by being around greatness. That is what West Indies cricket lacks right now: leaders whose achievements command respect and whose influence naturally elevates the players around them.