West Indies Test Team: Which Way to Go?

Haven't seen many core WI fans over here, but every cricket lover has WI as one of their favorits. Many of us are very unhappy at the the state of cricket in the West Indies.

West Indies is going to play yet another test series, this time against the number 1 ranked side, India. They have had their issues not only in terms of a declining standards, but also about player vs board troubles involving high profile players like Chris Gayle and Shivnarine Chanderpaul.

What way do you see their test side shaping up? should they go on an allout youngster policy? Do you see Gayle, Chanders and other senior players making a contribution to the West Indies cricket? I think they should have a balanced policy on this, don't think players such as Gayle and Chanderpaul can be just done away with, if WI cricket has to have anything to hope for.

my WI test XI

Chris Gayle
Lendl Simmons
Ramnaresh Sarwan(on the 'Last Chance Saloon')
Shivnarine Chanderpaul
Daren Bravo
Dwayne Bravo
Calton Baw(WK)
Daren Sammy
Jerome Taylor
Kemar Roach
Devendra Bishoo

Great article and some very good points.

I can't see what they can do really. If their standards are declining and it is something which is wrong in their youth development system, it would take a lot finance to restructure which I understand they don't have a lot of.

You can tell by the way Gayle is lured by the 20/20 ODI tournaments because shorter forms, means more matches and means more earnings. There seems to be a conflict of interest in the current WI squad and where players priorites lie.

If you look at the 2009 series against England, they showed that they could play Test cricket and dug out a series win. Since then it has been on decline.

hard to argue with that side mate

Jerome Taylor and Chris Gayle aren't on good terms with the WICB, so highly doubtful either will play.

Dwayne Bravo doesn't play Tests at the moment.

my WI test XI

Adrain Barath(youngest Windies player to score Test ton on debut)
Lendl Simmons
Ramnaresh Sarwan
Shivnarine Chanderpaul
Brendan Nash
Marlon Samuels
Calton Baugh(WK)
Darren Sammy(Sammy plays because he's captain, I'd have Andre Russell)
Ravi Rampaul (best Windies seamer over last 18months)
Kemar Roach
Devendra Bishoo

yh barath for simmons perhaps

cricketfan90

Simmons has been very consistent over the last 2 months, and his recent ODI record has been very good, although he has a bit of a Watson effect, getting out after scoring a 50. But then, 50 is always better than 5!.

Barath has been out with injury, I agree he is a defenit potential, but I would have in the XI if Sarwan continue to fail. In that case, I'll move Simmons to 3 and open with Gayle and Barat.

Sonic, of course Gayle and Taylor have their issues with the WICB, but I think at least in Gayle's case, it will be fine sooner rather than later. And anyways, do you think the WICB are doing any favors to WI cricket by keeping him out?

on Russell v Sammy question, I think Sammy has not really delivered with the bat, but he has done ok with the ball, both in ODIs and tests, in a rather underestimated way. I do have major problems with him being retained as captain, but for the time being, I'll have Andre gaining a bit more FC experience before getting into the test squad. In his first test he showed he's a tallent, but one that needes a bit more experience.

Rampaul, may be I should come around to your view. I did think about it at teh beginning, but then I thought Taylor is, overall, a beter bowler. But Rampaul's recent form and consistency across formats have to be acknowledged, and may be he should come in place of Taylor. Or, they should find someone better to captain, and bring Taylor in place of Sammy. I think Taylor is the best pacer that WI have at the moment, and he should not be drifting along when he's fit and available.

Dwayne Bravo has asked for a rest from the WI ODI side against India because he wanted to regain focus and rejoin the test side. if he's available, he's a defenit pick for me.

barath will be a very good test match player in the future

Frankly I would make a clean break and ditch Gayle and Chanderpaul for good.

Gayle is clearly more motivated by earning money than by playing for his country. Fine, but in that case thanks and good night. His attitude during the last world cup bordered on boredom, which was completely unacceptable. Being picked for your country is an honour and to treat it with the level of disdain Gayle has is shocking.

Chanderpaul's best years are behind him, his fielding is shoddy and his batting has recently been selfish. He is no longer behind the team and it is time to give other a go.

The argument that they are just doing a job and would you refuse a huge pay rise out of loyalty just doesn't cut it for me. If they think representing their country is "just a job" then they shouldn't be. This may sound harsh but as a coach of a junior national side from Europe (where the players pay to come to national training sessions) I just can't get past the contempt shown by these two, and if players I coached had a similar attitude they'd be out no matter how talented (this has happened). I expect all players to show passion and commitment on and off the field.

There seems some confusion about Dwayne Bravo which needs sorting out. If available then he would bat 6 and replace Chanderpaul in Sonic's side.

Mike, good points re Chanders and Gayle. Maybe time for a fresh start? But if you pick Bravo instead of Chanderpaul in sonic's team I think with
Nash
Bravo
Baugh
as your (lower) middle-order the batting looks very weak (assuming Samuels up to 4). I'd swap Nash for Darren Bravo and keep the rest, so
Barath
Simmonds
Sarwan
Da. Bravo
Samuels
Dw. Bravo
Baugh
Sammy
Rampaul
Roach
Bishoo

Plenty of talent there, but they need to start producing...

Mike Selig and Mad for Chelsea

it seems you both have shown more faith in the version of events presented by the WICB. I have serious doubts about their approach to the game and the players.

As Gayle has said, the players deserve some respect. the WIPA has its share of problems, but the larger share of the blaim should go the cricket board.

The WICB doesn't pay well, and when the players got an opening through the IPL they just took it. Then the board goes and schedules a series not in the FTP. Don't think players could have reacted any different.

I don't think Gayle's commitment can be seriously questioned, particularly by the WICB. if a player is not motivated, he could not have scored a triple hundred in the last test series he played.

Even in the Pakistan series, Gayle was dropped for the ODIs without any explanation, and only then he went to the IPL. The board then felt disappointed, but I think they created an impossible situation for him.

and even in the last test that the WI won, it was Chanderpaul's painful but significant out their that really helped in the end.

chanderpaul is class player, he dont lose class overnight, but the board treated him badly.

For me Dwayne Bravo competes with Marlon Samuels in the starting line up.

Chanderpaul may not be as good as he was 2-3 years ago, but he batters Indiai his sleep, so he has to play

Sorry I should have been clear: I have absolutely no faith in the WICB's side of the story and am not taking sides in the spat. What I am doing is being heavily critical of the on-field attitude of both Gayle and Chanderpaul, with the former in particular.

"The WICB doesn't pay well"
Balderdash! It pays a lot better than the average job in the West Indies, and a d@mn sight better than the vast majority of cricket boards in the world (who pay nothing). If the West Indies were a better side no doubt the board would pay more (after getting increased revenue from sponsorship say). The whole "money" argument is a nonsense.

Gayle's attitude for me hit a slump during the WC: he just appeared totally uninterested throughout, culminating in an innings against England where he basically swung at everything, missed a straight ball and wasted a review. His attitude has been so much better in the IPL. That to me is enough to kick him off the side: if you display more passion playing (effectively) hit and giggle than when representing your country you don't deserve that honour.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/west-indies-v-india-2011/content/current/story/519191.html

Gayle's Windies future is in doubt. He won't play vs India. My test side would be:

Barath
Simmons
Sarwan
DM Bravo
Chanderpaul
Samuels
Baugh
Sammy
Bishoo
Roach
Rampaul

Mike

its not just about the money has the WICB been at falt. there is no system to manage player's injury, no meaningful efforts building propper infra-structure for the game to develop. Then you can't always expect the Marshalls and the Holdings and the Ambroses and the Laras to just come up and bring glroy.

then they disrespect players. a player like Chanderpaul, who kept things together after Lara's Exit, has at least to be told as to what they have in mind for him. he should be given an opportunity to go out on his own terms, afterall the WI cricket is not bursting with young tallent of absolute world class.

in such situations, the players have a case. Also, Gayle was carrying an injury during the WC, and he played through that, and made decent contributions with the bat.

But alas, it seems The WI are going to be without Gayle in the near future, only Kemar Roach is a compelling player in their ranks, with a few flickering performances from the Bravos, and some hopeful signs from Lendl Simmons.

Think I've had enough of WI cricket for now, good luck West Indies.

Barring a miracle, grovelling apology, Gayle Windies career is finished.

Really sad for World cricket, as the Cool Dude was a true entertainer

its a shame he is a real talent

West Indies need to go back to an all-out 4 man pace attack strategy if they are to seriously challenge the top test teams in world cricket again. Guys like Sammy just aren't good enough to seriously challenge world class batsmen of the calibre of Khawaja, Clarke, Hussey, Watson, Hughes, Ponting etc.

gboycottnut wrote:West Indies need to go back to an all-out 4 man pace attack strategy if they are to seriously challenge the top test teams in world cricket again. Guys like Sammy just aren't good enough to seriously challenge world class batsmen of the calibre of Khawaja, Clarke, Hussey, Watson, Hughes, Ponting etc.

Windies aren't playing Oz..

Dravid and Laxman are far superior to all the names you mentioned

sonic_boom10 wrote:

gboycottnut wrote:West Indies need to go back to an all-out 4 man pace attack strategy if they are to seriously challenge the top test teams in world cricket again. Guys like Sammy just aren't good enough to seriously challenge world class batsmen of the calibre of Khawaja, Clarke, Hussey, Watson, Hughes, Ponting etc.

Windies aren't playing Oz..

Dravid and Laxman are far superior to all the names you mentioned

Exactly, which is why things don't look to good for the West Indies bowling. A 4 man West Indies pace attack of Roach, Edwards, Taylor, Rampaul could cause even the mighty Indian batting lineup problems.

gboycottnut wrote:

sonic_boom10 wrote:

gboycottnut wrote:West Indies need to go back to an all-out 4 man pace attack strategy if they are to seriously challenge the top test teams in world cricket again. Guys like Sammy just aren't good enough to seriously challenge world class batsmen of the calibre of Khawaja, Clarke, Hussey, Watson, Hughes, Ponting etc.

Windies aren't playing Oz..

Dravid and Laxman are far superior to all the names you mentioned

Exactly, which is why things don't look to good for the West Indies bowling. A 4 man West Indies pace attack of Roach, Edwards, Taylor, Rampaul could cause even the mighty Indian batting lineup problems.

Edwards and Taylor can't stay fit long enough to be viable options for Test cricket at the moment.

Roach, Russell and Rampaul plus Bishoo would be a good attack.

This current Indian side hasn't dominated Bishoo just yet.

bishoo has to play

sonic_boom10 wrote:

gboycottnut wrote:

sonic_boom10 wrote:

gboycottnut wrote:West Indies need to go back to an all-out 4 man pace attack strategy if they are to seriously challenge the top test teams in world cricket again. Guys like Sammy just aren't good enough to seriously challenge world class batsmen of the calibre of Khawaja, Clarke, Hussey, Watson, Hughes, Ponting etc.

Windies aren't playing Oz..

Dravid and Laxman are far superior to all the names you mentioned

Exactly, which is why things don't look to good for the West Indies bowling. A 4 man West Indies pace attack of Roach, Edwards, Taylor, Rampaul could cause even the mighty Indian batting lineup problems.

Edwards and Taylor can't stay fit long enough to be viable options for Test cricket at the moment.

Roach, Russell and Rampaul plus Bishoo would be a good attack.

This current Indian side hasn't dominated Bishoo just yet.

I have never heard of this guy Russell, is he any good and what type of bowler is he? How is Jason Holder doing as he looked like a very good prospect last year when I saw him bowling for West Indies U-19 team in the U-19 World Cup.

GB
Russell bowls fast. He can tonk the ball high and mighty with a bat in hand. But both departments of his game seems a bit raw at the moment, but defenitly one for the future. the lack of serious tallent in the WI game means he has to do the learning at the highest level itself.

msp83 wrote:GB
Russell bowls fast. He can tonk the ball high and mighty with a bat in hand. But both departments of his game seems a bit raw at the moment, but defenitly one for the future. the lack of serious tallent in the WI game means he has to do the learning at the highest level itself.

But is Russell over 6ft 4 inch tall as the WI are badly missing one or two tall pace bowlers. What about Jason Holder, how is he progressing?

gboycottnut wrote:

msp83 wrote:GB
Russell bowls fast. He can tonk the ball high and mighty with a bat in hand. But both departments of his game seems a bit raw at the moment, but defenitly one for the future. the lack of serious tallent in the WI game means he has to do the learning at the highest level itself.

But is Russell over 6ft 4 inch tall as the WI are badly missing one or two tall pace bowlers. What about Jason Holder, how is he progressing?

He's only played 8 F/C games with 17 wickets at just under 24 with one 5 wicket haul.

Still raw, let him develop in F/C

i would have roach in the side over edwards

not to sound repetitive, but in answer to the question "West Indies Test Team: Which Way to Go?" may I, in light of their current effort, suggest the answer "to the nets to get some batting practice"?

lol