LETTER: Dwayne Bravo needs to be heard

I predict an Afghanistan-South Africa final, with South Africa winning the upcoming T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. Seeing the abysmal showing by the West Indies in the UAE, I recommend we sack Daren Sammy as head coach, and Floyd Reifer and his batting coach; perhaps sack Ravi Rampaul too, so Kendell Karan, being a Trinbagonian writer, won’t be seen as having an agenda or apparent bias.

Why on God’s green earth is Johnson Charles still being selected? What qualifies Reifer as a batting coach? He seems to be a regular in the West Indies coaching set-up despite his failing portfolios.

Charles has the worst strike rate for an opening batter since the last T20 World Cup, and the excuse can’t be that he is the wicket keeper in the team, we have a well capable batter against spin, and a specialist wicket keeper in Amir Jangoo and he can’t get a game or a decent run of games unlike the failing Alick Athanze, Brandon King and Roston Chase.

Is this because he is Daren Sammy’s countryman and pavilion partner? Why are the WI selecting novices like Ackeem Auguste and Quentin Sampson when we already have the likes of Navin Bidaisee, Jyd Goolie, and even Mikel Govia, who have performed exceptionally well domestically and for their franchise teams?

What is the point of having a warm-up series against Afghanistan when half the squad won’t be selected in the World Cup Squad? Is it that the West Indies must be an all-black-looking team? What is it? Announce the squad before the series; players will obviously go where they are guaranteed a remuneration package.

If they wait and wait while they pass on an overseas opportunity and are not selected for the West Indies, what are they to do? Especially where there is daylight nepotism, who likes whom, who is my friend, and small islands favoured. 

Nothing is wrong with franchise cricket; cricketers can’t play pro bono. Dwayne Bravo needs to be heard. It was impossible not to believe his side of the story from a player’s perspective on the Beard Before Wicket Podcast, especially as a Trinbagonian cricketer.

West Indies Cricket is easy to fix: improve facilities, adopt a clear format for domestic participation and data-driven selection, and eliminate retainer contracts in favour of higher match fees. We were moving in a better direction under a white man (Johnny Grave) compared to the people in charge now. 

Daren Sammy needs to stop living in the past; two World Cups as his hashtag is not cutting it anymore. He needs to start acting like a coach, not a player or captain. If we do not interpret Bravo’s perspective, we will soon not qualify for any ICC tournament.

Kendell Karan

Chaguanas

Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Antigua!
We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages.
Contact us at [email protected]