"We have not sold what West Indies cricket means to us" - Brian Lara laments youngsters giving weightage to franchise cricket

Former West Indies captain Brian Lara has admitted that the cricketing environment has made it difficult to understand the importance of playing for the national team. Nevertheless, the legendary batter acknowledged that players can't be faulted for choosing money over wanting to play for the country.

A cricketing powerhouse once upon a time, the Windies have experienced a steep downfall as the best players have consistently missed matches to participate in T20 leagues around the world. Their current era is in complete contrast to the times when the likes of Clive Lloyd and Viv Richards dominated world cricket as West Indies will start as underdogs in the upcoming Test series against Australia.

Lara, who will mentor the visitors against Australia, reckons the board must do everything to retain bright young talents and make them realize what it means to play for the West Indies.

"I mean, we’ve got to face the facts. The franchise cricket that is being played around the world, it is very difficult for the West Cricket Board to compete with such lucrative opportunities that our cricketers have," he said on SEN Sportsday.

"I think we've got to, first of all, try to hold on to the young ones, the teenagers. For an 18-or-19-year-old to say, ‘I'm heading to the IPL’, or, ‘I don't care about West Indies cricket’. It's not just his fault. I just think that we have not sold what West Indies cricket means to us as Caribbean people and why you should be playing for the West Indies," Lara added.

West Indies currently stand eighth in the ICC Test rankings and last beat Australia in a Test in 2003. The Windies have also not won a Test Down Under since 1997.

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"I want to see the talent come through" - Brian Lara

Brian Lara. (Image Credits: Getty)

Lara expressed his desire to see the West Indies put on a tough fight in the upcoming series against the Aussies, similar to the one they displayed in the Perth Test last summer.

"I want to see the talent come through. There's a lot of talent. There's always been a lot of talent, but this is a big stage. This is not Mickey Mouse, this is the real deal and Australia are not going to give any quotas. They (Australia) have already won three Test matches for the summer and they'll be looking to make it five in total. So, I would like to see some fight and I remember being very proud of the team in Perth 13 months ago when we lost on the fifth day of the Test match," he stated.

Australia are coming off a resounding 3-0 series win over Pakistan and will be confident of beating the Windies.