"It's painful to see this is the stage our cricket has reached, [given] at one point in time we were the best team in the world. If those in charge keep harping on about the past and not trying to do anything for the present then we'll always have these type of interviews, we'll have back and forth with ex-players saying this and current players saying that. The rest of the world will go on and we'll always be backwards."
These words from former West Indian captain, Dwyane Bravo, highlight the plight of a nation which once ruled the cricketing world. Bad administration, falling funds, lack of infrastructure, poor pitches and a plethora of youngsters who prefer the glam of T20 over Test cricket has seen a major drought of talents in the Caribbean.
The current trend has seen many players in the mould of Chris Gayle or Andre Russell, who prefer playing in T20 leagues across the World rather than donning the revered whites.
However, the players are not the only ones to blame. The administration and politics have in general been sub-par and this has seen a huge loss in funds allotted for cricket. Low salaries and improper payments meant frustrated players seeking money by playing in T20 tournaments around the World.
There was a time when Caribbean cricket could summon heroes in the mould of Sir Garry Sobers, who said: “My whole obligation was to West Indies cricket. I’ve never made a run for me.” Now it clutches desperately for answers from men who are as transparently self-serving as they come.
In general, it has been a blame game between the players and administrators. The central problem, as so often, is one of bureaucracy. Over the past 20 years, the politics of cricket in the region have become a quagmire, where the players blame the West Indies Cricket Board for lack of money, and they, in turn, blame the players for a lack of discipline, and both parties end up resolving nothing.
Even amidst the chaos, all is not gloom, thanks to the wonderful cricketing culture in the depths of this island. There are several young players making a name for themselves silently. Despite their qualification for a major event like the World Cup being a big question mark, all hope isn’t lost.
The U-19 World Cup win last year and the World T20 triumph are evidences that West Indies Cricket could slowly be on the rise yet again. Let us take a look into some fine young talents gracing the Caribbean islands now, who could go on to become vital cogs in the revival of the great West Indies.
#1 Roston Chase
Roston Lamar Chase is a Barbados cricketer who debuted for the Barbadian national side in February 2011. A batting allrounder, he is a right-handed batsman and a right-arm off spin bowler. His talents were not noticed during his debut season in West Indies’ First-class competition for Barbados in 2010-11 where he played just two matches before disappearing into the oblivion.
He, however, was back in the setup for the 2012-13 edition of the First -Class competition. During the 2014–15 season, Chase scored a maiden first-class century, a brilliant 120 not out against the Windward Islands. He finished the season with 534 runs from eight matches, which placed him eighth in the overall competition run scorers list.
Also Read: Roston Chase and Jermaine Blackwood: Is there light at the end of the tunnel for West Indies?
Chase continued his good form in the following season, being named man of the match against the Leeward Islands after making 136 not out in his team's first innings.
In July 2016, he was named in the West Indies squad for their Test series against India. He made his Test debut for the West Indies on 21 July 2016. In just his second Test match, Chase showcased his potential by picking up his maiden five-wicket haul and also scored a century to stave off a strong Indian bowling attack.
#2 Tagenarine Chanderpaul
The elder son of legendary West Indies batsman, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Tagenarine plays for Guyana in first-class cricket and is an opener. Junior Chanderpaul is said to be a patient batsman who can up the tempo of the innings if necessary.
He was a prolific run scorer for the Guyana under-19 cricket team which earned him a spot in the West Indies Under-19 cricket team which went to the UAE for 2014 Under-19 World Cup. Moreover, he was awarded WICB/WIPA Under-19s Cricketer of the year in 2013.
He made his first-class debut in February 2013 at the age of 16 for Guyana against the Leeward Islands in the regional four-day competition at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. Incidentally, his father, Shivnarine, had also made his first-class debut for Guyana as a teenager, when he was 18.
He was dropped from the Guyana Jaguars Cricket team due to a lack of form, however, he was still offered a contract with the franchise along with some of the fellow under19 stars. Although his obvious talent and technique are yet to translate itself into good scores, it augers well for the Windies that they have a young batting prodigy to watch out for.
#3 Nicholas Pooran
Nicolas Pooran, who plays for Trinidad and Tobago in West Indian domestic circuit and for the Red Steel in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) is a mighty young talent to watch out for. As of the 2014 season, he is the youngest player to have appeared in CPL matches.
Pooran debuted for the West Indies under-19s in a bilateral series against the Bangladesh under-19s and went on to play at the 2014 Under-19 World Cup as the team's vice-captain and primary wicket-keeper. He scored 303 runs from six matches, ranking fourth on the list of total runs scored and leading the average chart of the West Indies team.
In his CPL debut against the Guyana Amazon Warriors, he scored 54 from 24 balls, an innings which included six sixes and was noted for its "clean, calm stroke play" and "uninhibited aggression". His CPL team mate, the sensational AB de Villiers said he wasn’t too sure of how the WICB does things, but added that if Pooran was in South Africa, “he’d be in the mix”.
His talents fast-tracked him into the national setup and he made his Twenty20 International (T20I) debut for the West Indies against Pakistan on 23 September 2016.
#4 Alzarri Joseph
Alzarri Joseph created quite a stir in the 2016 U-19 World Cup, where he took 13 wickets in six games at an average of 13.76 for West Indies U-19, thus helping the team to a title triumph. He had already made an impression with his pace and control since his first class debut for the Leeward Islands during the 2014–15 Regional Four Day Competition.
For someone of his age, consistently hitting the 145kmph mark was quite a feat. He made people sit up and take notice every single time he bowled in the U-19 tournament in Bangladesh.
In July 2016, he was called up to the West Indian Test squad after continuing his impressive show in the Caribbean Premier League. In just his 15th ball in Test cricket, he had the Indian Test captain, Virat Kohli, nicking behind off a fiery ball that took off from the surface.
Joseph is yet to play another Test but there is no doubting the fact that this young sensation is bound to create waves in the International Circuit.
#5 Miguel Cummins
Miguel Cummins made his Test cricket debut for the West Indies against India in the 2016 Test series. He picked up 9 wickets in three Tests, with an impressive best of 6/48. He had already played ODIs for West Indies by then, having made his limited overs debut in 2014 against the visiting Irish.
At the domestic level, the impressive fast bowler represents Barbados and has also played for the Antigua Hawksbills and the Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL). He became a regular in the Barbados side in 2013, taking 35 wickets from eight matches.
Barbados won the competition eventually, defeating Trinidad and Tobago in the final by an innings and 22 runs. Cummins was the star of the match taking nine wickets (5/30 and 4/75) and was named man of the match.
A graduate of the West Indies High-Performance Centre (WIHPC), he was named Emerging Player of the Year at the 2014 WIPA/WICB Awards, which recognized performances during the previous season.
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