The West Indies cricket team was the most dominant force in world cricket right from the 1970s until the end of the 1980s. Not only did they win a lot of matches in the two forms of the game that existed at the time, they also managed to stamp their authority all over their opposition teams.
Those days of glory are long gone for the men from the Caribbean and their present unit is nowhere near as formidable. However, the West Indies have surely found a way to excel in the newest and shortest format of the game – T20 cricket.
Having achieved the distinction of being the only team to win two World T20 tournaments, they have managed to emulate the iconic team of yesteryear who were the first to win two ODI World Cups.
In the past, the West Indies team boasted of some great cricketers who brought in many laurels for their country. Here we attempt to find out players in the current team who are similar to them in one way or the other
#5 Desmond Haynes – Marlon Samuels
Former West Indies opener Desmond Haynes was one of the most successful batsmen of his time and did well for his country across both Tests and ODIs. Marlon Samuels, on the other hand, has been a maverick of sorts and his batting has continued to blow hot and cold over the years.
To his credit, though, Samuels has delivered the goods for West Indies on occasions when it was most needed. He achieved the distinction of winning the ‘Man of the Match’ award in both World T20 finals won by the islanders in 2012 and 2016.
While Desmond Haynes and Marlon Samuels may not have too much in common in terms of their stature as batsmen, there is certainly some similarity in their approach. Both of them never backed down from getting involved in a verbal duel with the opposition.
Haynes famously clashed with the likes of Ian Healy, Merv Hughes and David Boon during a tour to Australia in 1990-91. Samuels, meanwhile, had a much-publicised tussle with legendary spinner Shane Warne during a domestic T20 match, one among numerous such instances in the 35-year old’s career.
#4 Andy Roberts – Dwayne Bravo
Andy Roberts is among the finest fast bowlers ever to have represented West Indies in international cricket. Although Roberts did not have a very long career, the lanky paceman managed to establish quite a reputation for himself by proving to be a nightmare for the batsmen.
Dwayne Bravo, on the contrary, is an all-round cricketer who has gained popularity over the past few years as one of the most effective bowlers in limited-overs cricket. Although these two players, from different generations, may come across as being poles apart from each other, there are certain things that make them similar.
Bravo’s bowling exploits in T20 cricket during recent years have provided ample proof that he is a master of variations. Roberts, too, had a number of different deliveries in his armoury which he used to unsettle the batsmen, particularly the slower bouncer.
Another thing that they have in common is the fact that both have been part of World Cup-winning squads on two separate occasions, albeit in different formats.
#3 Malcolm Marshall – Sunil Narine
Iconic West Indies paceman Malcolm Marshall is widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers to have set foot on a cricket field. What made Marshall extremely special was the fact that he was an intelligent bowler and rarely allowed the batsman to anticipate what was coming at them.
Although it is impossible to find a player in the current West Indies unit who can match up to his standards, the only one who comes anywhere near is Sunil Narine. Just like Marshall, Narine, too, never gives the batsmen a clue about what he will dish out and can be extremely difficult to pick.
Malcolm Marshall was easily the biggest bowling star in the West Indies team during his playing days. At present, Sunil Narine tops the popularity charts in his team’s bowling department across both limited-overs formats.
#2 Clive Lloyd – Darren Sammy
Apart from being a fine captain, former West Indian great Clive Lloyd was an equally good batsman and boasted of some great statistics in both Tests as well as ODIs. Darren Sammy, on the other hand, is an all-rounder who can be handy with the bat lower down the order and also bowl a few overs of medium pace.
There may be a huge gulf in class between these two cricketers of different generations when it comes to their stature. However, the only thing that connects them is the fact that they have both captained the West Indies side to 2 World Cup titles each in a particular format.
While Clive Lloyd led the men from the Caribbean to victory in the first two editions of the ODI World Cup in 1975 and 1979, Darren Sammy was the skipper when they conquered the ICC World T20 crown in the years 2012 and 2016.
#1 Viv Richards – Chris Gayle
No list highlighting the greatest cricketers of all-time can be complete without the name ‘Viv Richards’ featuring in it. Be it his batting prowess or just his approach at the crease, everything about the legendary West Indian exuded unmatched class.
Christopher Henry Gayle may not be in the same league as Richards, but he is surely the only present-day cricketer from the West Indies who is similar to him. The one clear connection between the two of them is that their game centers around dominating the bowlers.
Both these players have been colourful characters and enjoyed themselves on the field as well as off it. Their ability to terrorise the opposition bowlers with their powerful strokeplay also puts Chris Gayle and Viv Richards on a common ground.
While it may be difficult for Gayle to find a place in his country’s rich cricketing history alongside players like Richards, he is on the path to creating a legacy of his own.
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