Phil Simmons suspended with immediate effect; Eldine Baptiste appointed interim coach

Simmons has been suspended as WI coach with immediate effect

West Indies coach Phil Simmons has been suspended by the West Indies Cricket Board. This report emerges just two days after he had expressed his disappointment with the selection of the ODI squad.

According to a report on ESPNCricinfo, Simmons had received an email from the WICB chief executive Michael Muirhead regarding the suspension. Simmons was appointed as the WI coach after the 2015 World Cup. He remained in the position for only a period of six months. He was in the UK, preparing to join the squad in London on their way to Sri Lanka. The Board issued a statement saying that Simmons will not travel with the team, pending investigation into the comments he made.

“The West Indies Cricket Board has learnt of the comments from head coach of the West Indies team Phil Simmons in the print and electronic media which appear to question the legitimacy of the selection process of the one-day international squad for the tour of Sri Lanka. As a result, the management of the WICB has taken action to suspend the head coach, pending an investigation into the issue," the board said.

The suspension comes just before the national squad was set to leave for Sri Lanka to play two Tests, three ODIs and two T20Is. West Indies is set to play their first Test under new captain, Jason Holder, on October 14.

Eldine Baptiste, who is a former West Indies fast bowler as well as one of the national selectors, will take over as interim coach for the tour of Sri Lanka.

Baptiste was one of the three, on the selection panel, who voted against the inclusion of Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard in the ODI squad. The other two members who voted against selecting the duo were former West Indies bowling legend Courtney Walsh, and Courtney Browne. Simmons and Clive Lloyd, chairman of selectors, were the ones who voted to include Bravo and Pollard.

Following the selection meeting, Simmons had lashed out against ‘outside influences’ in the selection process of the ODI squad which kept the experienced all-rounders out of contention. He bemoaned missing out on having a strong ODI squad for the Sri Lanka tour.

“The chairman, Mr Lloyd, he came and he gave an exceptional speech saying that he thinks it is time they are back in the squad and he gave exceptional reasons for them being back in the squad. Unfortunately, when we went into the selection [meeting] we lost it 3-2. Him and myself - the captain [Holder] doesn't have a vote in this - but the captain also gave his views as to why they need to be back,” Simmons had said.

The debate about the involvement of Bravo and Pollard has been ongoing since the time they were dropped for the series against South Africa early this year. It remains to be seen how the West Indies squad reacts to this development and how they perform against Sri Lanka, starting October 14.