West Indies great Brian Lara has backed new captain Kieron Pollard ahead of the upcoming tour against Afghanistan.
West Indies are set to play three T20Is against Rashid Khan’s team followed by as many ODIs, where Pollard will lead the team instead of Jason Holder, who has captained the side since 2015. The tour will eventually wrap with a one-off Test.
Pollard, despite having a significant one-day experience, has not played an ODI since 2016, but Lara believes the decision has been taken for the good.
“I know he hasn’t played ODI cricket for a long time, but he has got a good experience,” Lara told Stumped during the announcement of the Road Safety World Series in Mumbai.
“I believe that other players respect him because the captain is only as good as the team, and I think he will get the support and that’s where half of the job is done. Tactically, I believe he is capable and understands what he needs to do. So overall, it’s not a bad decision.
“And if he is committed to West Indies cricket for a long period of time, then it’s a step in the right direction and let’s see how it goes.”
West Indies are coming on the back of an absolute thrashing at the hands of India at home. The defending ICC T20 World Cup champions lost all of the three T20Is against Virat Kohli’s team in August and the result continued in ODIs as well as in Tests.
(Sharmarh Brooks Image: AFP / Randy Brooks)When asked about his take on the performance, Lara said, “First of all, I think you need to give India the credit as their batting, bowling and fielding was exceptional. I think their fast bowlers were sometimes unplayable.
“In terms of the West Indies, we came off a win against England at home, which was very promising. So you expect the team to follow on after that.
“But there was a lot of one-day cricket happening over the last five-six months with almost the same players. So, I think the attrition level is something that the West Indies Cricket Board and management will have to see as some of the cricketers understand the shorter version of the game, but they are missing the key elements of the longer version of the game.
“I think if they are to improve, they need to play a lot of competitive first-class cricket in the Caribbean where the guys can spend time on the field.
He added that there is no shortage of talent in the Caribbean and it is the job of the management to make sure the players are playing at the highest level.
“I still believe that the talent is on the show for the West Indies. You, however, need to make sure they are playing at the highest level. I think learning the game at the international stage is not where you want to live.”
Lara, who has played 299 ODIs and 131 Tests in his career is known for his effortless batting and has hardly struggled to cope with different conditions. Speaking of which, the 50-year-old said that the key to it is the mental strength.
“To be successful anywhere in the world, you have to adapt very quickly. If you are playing in Australia, India, South Africa, the West Indies, they are all different conditions.
“First and foremost, everyone who plays international cricket has a certain level of skill and talent. How you approach it, your mental strength is key. Adaptation of the environment you are in is key. Learning all these important things will take you a step ahead.”
Feature image courtesy: AFP / Indranil Mukherjee
