Ex-WI selector, player say seeking Pooran return ‘divisive’, ‘dangerous’ move. In a frank critique, two respected former West Indies figures have launched a scathing attack on Cricket West Indies (CWI) for reportedly considering asking Nicholas Pooran to reverse his international retirement for the upcoming T20 World Cup.The comments from former selector Roland Butcher and former opener Philo Wallace made on the Voice of Barbados’ Mason and Guest radio programme, condemned the very idea as “divisive,” “a dangerous precedent,” and a move that would “tear that team apart.”
However, former WI selector Butcher, known for his measured analysis, did not mince words. “I would not be bending over backwards chasing that player to come in to play.The fact that he’s retired suggests that he doesn’t want to play. If he doesn’t want to play, well, that’s fine.”He argued that such a move would undermine the entire squad ethos. “It sets a dangerous precedent for the rest of the team and for any young player coming forward,” Butcher explained. “You’re going to go chase (a retired player) to select them in front of a young player who is really desperate to play and working his socks off to play.”
Wallace questioned the very foundation of the selection system, whether it must resort to recalling retired players. “We can’t be so bad at selecting players that we can go ask Pooran if he wants to come and play in a World Cup. It doesn’t look good for West Indies cricket.”Both agreed the reported approach sets a “bad precedent,” with Wallace adding that the official responsible “should take stock of themselves and don’t repeat it.”The two men were also critical of the number of absentees for the WI team’s T20 series against Afghanistan beginning next week