The Sports Desk
West Indies have chosen to take a brave approach as they look forward to next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, one which concentrates on further broadening their bowling options. Five uncapped players have been included for the T20I series against Nepal in Sharjah, as signs of a different mindset and approach to team-building. There is also legspinner Zishan Motara, left-arm pacer Ramon Simmonds and allrounder Navin Bidaisee as well as the batters Ackeem Auguste and Karima Gore who both had come through with USA.
There is a significant change too with the coaching staff that will accompany Sri Lanka on this tour, in that it, too, is packed with former bowlers. The interim head coach is Rayon Griffith, Ottis Gibson has been called in as fast-bowling consultant, Nikita Miller and Jerome Taylor have been hired as assistant coaches. That there is a focus on this area is evident, according to CWI’s director of cricket Miles Bascombe: beefing up the bowling contingent that has frequently been looked upon as the team’s Achilles’ heel in recent times.
Head coach Daren Sammy outlined that several senior members are rested for the series in Gudakesh Motie, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford and Romario Shepherd as well as Shimron Hetmyer who has made himself unavailable. Sammy stressed the need to manage workloads, particularly with Powell nursing a wrist injury and Motie having undertaken a long season in the CPL.
The selectors also took a cue from the newly-formed Breakout League, in which talented young players from around the Caribbean played. That’s where Bidaisee played his way in and the young left-armed quick Nathan Edward has also been followed closely. Speaking to Sammy spoke about the need to blood wristspinners and left-arm seamers, historically under represented roles in West Indies cricket.
With away series against Bangladesh and New Zealand scheduled after the Nepal series, West Indies hope that this approach of blooding new talent supplemented by expert tutoring from Gibson and other experienced coaches pays rich dividends in the build up to the World Cup.
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