Brian Lara wants improvements at the grassroots in West Indian cricket

Brian Lara

Former West Indies captain Brian Lara believes that the Test team could perform better only if the domestic structure is revamped.

Improvements required at the grassroots

“For me, West Indies' problems don't lie with the players. It's far deeper than that, with the organisation, what they are doing to enhance our cricket from a very low level. What you see on the surface, it's what our cricket is all about, which is not a lot of fabric in it. Until we start doing that, then you can look at the players and make them responsible for their performances,” the 45-year-old explained.

Speaking on West Indies’ recent form in Tests,he said that felt the team could improve their form if a deliberate effort is made at the grassroots levels.

One of the greatest cricketers of all time, Lara feels that the big names in the West Indian team play well as individuals because of the reason that they play in overseas conditions quite often.

"You look at some of our players, they are the most sought-after players in the IPL - the likes of Sunil Narine, Chris Gayle, and Kieron Pollard - why as a team you can't put it together? I believe the structure they are playing in, away from home, seems to be a little more organised than what they are accustomed to," he said

Lara praises Cook

The Prince of Port of Spain was all praise for Alastair Cook’s captaincy and the way the English skipper battled it out and fought back to win the Test series against India.

“I think it was a great fight back. First of all I was very happy to see Alastair Cook stuck it out and he handled his responsibility which is most important. He could not really chart his own course, he had the support of the team, the backing of the selectors and the board and the public - they were on his back for some time.

“It was nice to see England come back under his leadership and hopefully they can take it on to another level because they are a little in the midst of a transition, where they lost a couple of players, they tried to form a new team and it's a bit difficult especially when your star players aren't around," he further added.