Cricket West Indies (CWI) president Kishore Shallow revealed that they intend to incorporate cricket legends such as Sir Viv Richards and Brian Lara to improve the West Indies line-up, which was bundled out for 27 runs in the second innings against Australia. This is now the second-lowest total in red-ball internationals and the lowest in Pink-Ball Tests ever, something the Roston Chase-led team would not be proud of.
The Caribbeans struggled with their batting during the three-match Test series and have not won a Test series since 2022-23, when they overcame Zimbabwe on their own turf. Since then, they’ve drawn three and lost five series, which is somewhat disheartening.
“The outcome is very disappointing, not only because of how we lost, but also because of what West Indies Cricket has always represented to our people: pride, identity, and opportunity. Many of us, including the players, will have some sleepless nights as a result of this setback, which I know will hit them hard. “We are in a rebuilding phase, steadily investing in the next generation and reigniting the spirit that has long made West Indies cricket a global force,” Shallow said in a statement quoted by NDTV Sports.
The Caribbean team was recognised as world champions in the late 1970s, and they maintained that title throughout the 1980s with the support of players such as Richards and Curtly Ambrose. Richards will now be part of the West Indies’ rescue package, and Shallow has called an emergency meeting to discuss Australia’s Test series setback.
The engagement is not ceremonial, according to CWI.
The West Indies’ bowling was excellent, reminiscent of the days when pacers controlled the game of cricket, but the team’s batting has deteriorated, leading to multiple poor performances.
“To boost the conversations, I’ve issued invites to three of our greatest batsmen of all time: Clive Lloyd, Vivian Richards, and Brian Lara. They will join former greats Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Desmond Haynes, and Ian Bradshaw,” Shallow added.
However, it is unclear whether the support group will be useful in shorter formats such as ODI and Twenty-20 cricket. The West Indies lost both of their series in England earlier this year. On the positive side, the Caribbean team drew an ODI series and won in Ireland.
“This is not a ceremonial engagement.” These are men who helped define our golden years, and their insights will be crucial as we build the next stage of our cricket development,” he stated.
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