- People closely following the world of cricket, like connoisseurs, experts, ex-cricketers, administrators, and crazy fans, would vouch in unison and lament about the fact that Caribbean cricket is in dire need of resurrection. Many of us die-hard cricket buffs have witnessed the evolution of the sport over the decades. Here, the contributions of the West Indies as a cricket-playing nation to the overall flowering of the sport are humongous. The West Indies team of the 1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s was not only brilliant, merciless, aggressive, domineering, and breathtaking while plying their skill sets but also showcased a brand of cricket that was fascinating as well as mesmerizing to watch. They simply were the team to beat. Period.
PC: Critiquing Cricket
- Remember some of the greats of the game viz. Gary Sobers, Frank Worrell, Clyde Walcott, Everton Weekes, Wesley Hall, Rohan Kanhai, Alvin Kalicharan, Clive Lloyd, Vivian Richards, Gordon Greenidge, Des Haynes, Richie Richardson, Jeff Dujon, Andy Roberts, Michael Holding, Malcolm Marshal, Curtly Ambrose, Courtney Walsh, Brian Lara, and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, just to name a battery of stalwarts who have represented the Caribbean cricket with great distinction. The very mention of the West Indies of yore used to evoke a spine-chilling admiration and distinctly apprehensive comprehension among other cricket-playing nations. The way the West Indies team went about demolishing the opposition with brutal force and power was a sight to behold.
PC: Cricket Addictor
- Unfortunately, the decline of the West Indies as an extremely critical cog in the cricket ecosystem has been dramatic, appalling, and disconcerting, to say the least. The moot point to ponder over here is what the reasons are for such a drastic change in fortunes, resulting in the present West Indies team that simply presents itself as a pale shadow of yore. The sharp decline in the skill sets could be partially attributed to the youngsters’ taking up other lucrative sports as well as being willing to ply only in the franchise-based T20 cricket leagues around the world. The blame should also accrue to the administrators representing various Caribbean Islands who have shown little inclination or intent beyond lip service to spruce up the sport in a desired manner.
PC: India TV News
- espite some of the biggest names to have represented the West Indies still available to utilize their services, why the administrators are failing is a million-dollar question that can only be answered by them. Team West Indies, visiting India for a two-Test series, is not even close to being called a competitive side, let alone being termed a classy one and/or world-class. That Team India could roll the visitors with 2 ½ days of cricket speaks volumes about the fall of the once immensely proud team, conquering the sport with such unbelievable domination and powerful performances so consistently. The turnaround in the Caribbean team could be achieved. But that requires joining hands by all stakeholders concerned, including the International Cricket Council.
