Cricket West Indies Unveils 100-Point Revival Plan to Compete Globally

Key points discussed during the meeting

The meeting concluded with the thought process of that it is a long road ahead for the cricket board. However, there are hundreds of things that can be improved as the West Indies attempt to regain its glorious past. 

Former World Cup-winning captain Clive Lloyd suggested that it is time to go back to the International Cricket Council (ICC). He suggested a change in the distribution of revenue with Cricket West Indies getting a larger share of the pie, keeping in mind the rich past of their team in the sport. 

Cricket facilities at different levels of the sport

Having the best facilities at different levels can help in the growth of young cricketers. These facilities provide them with the chance of playing with the best equipment available at the best grounds. Playing on a turf that is nowhere near the standard of an international cricket stadium does not help the players. These little things can make a huge difference while playing at higher levels. 

Having practice pitches in different parts of the region

Practice pitches that are easily accessible for the younger population or the players can help in increasing the love for the game in a new generation. These pitches are not only used to help the players hone their skills, but also can ignite the passion for playing for their country in the future.

Quality of domestic tournaments

Domestic tournaments act as a foundation for future players in every cricketing nation. Even with the splurge in T20 leagues around the world, it is the domestic tournaments that provide the best chance for a player to be scouted for playing at a higher level. The quality of domestic tournaments could only increase by having the best players in them. The only way to attract the best players is to increase the match fee and give them financial motivation. 

Technical deficiencies among the players

The lack of quality in domestic tournaments has meant that the players performing exceptionally well in them are still not ready to play at the international level. These players have technical difficulties, and they have shone despite them at the domestic level. It was evident in the performance they put against the Aussies when they were bowled for the second-lowest score in test cricket.

Chris Dehring, CWI Chief Executive, while talking in a post-meeting conference, said, "As the batting coach [Jimmy Adams] pointed out, it's very difficult to change habits when you are getting somebody who has made so many runs at the regional level but clearly has deficiencies when it comes to the international level. It's very difficult to change in a couple of weeks. There are issues concerning strength and conditioning, which again points back to facilities which are available to youngsters and emerging players and 'A' teams, etc." He believes that this issue could be tackled by the establishment of a high-performance centre in the region. 

Batting debacle against Australia

Once, the West Indies team was humiliated by the Aussie pacers during the pink-ball test in Kingston, it was expected that there would be some outcry. It all started with the former batter, Brian Lara, who blamed the Indian Premier League for the downfall of West Indies cricket. 

The left-handed batter talked about how the passion for the game is missing among the West Indies players due to the franchise leagues around the world. He blamed the IPL, where the players from the same region have been in high demand for more than a decade. Players like Nicholas Pooran announced their retirement from International cricket at the age of 29. The wicketkeeper-batter is one of the most sought-after players in T20 leagues. 

In the IPL, he holds a contract worth ₹21 crores per season. That is a high amount of money while playing a maximum of 17 games in a two and a half month period. Apart from the IPL, he plays in different leagues and leads teams as well. There are more players like Pooran who are readily available for their clubs but not for the country, which raises the debate of Club vs Country.

Franchise cricket or the West Indies

It has been an age-old debate in the footballing world that players prefer clubs over their national teams. The same debate has been doing the rounds in cricket circles in the last few years. The issue of players playing for franchises instead of their national teams rises exponentially in the West Indies. Two of the biggest names in T20 cricket in recent times, Andre Russell and Sunil Narine, have hardly turned up for the national side while playing for the Kolkata Knight Riders and other affiliated Knight Riders franchises year in, year out. 

Lara, while responding to a question about the lack of passion in the younger generation for playing for WI, talked about how the commercialization of the game has prevented players from playing for the region. He said, "Presently, if I can fast forward, the game has now very much commercialised. The franchise system is definitely in the mind of every young person, and every parent as well. When you see what's happening around the world with the IPL, the American cricket league [MLC] and much else. The motivational factors we have to tap into: what motivates youngsters today? It might not be just representing West Indies 365 days of the year. It might be playing in an IPL or a BBL or something else. We have to find out those interests and see where West Indies cricket can still benefit from the youngsters.”

Lara talked about how it was unfortunate that Pooran retired at a young age. He compared the situation to that of India, England, and Australia, where the nations benefit from their participation in the franchise tournaments. Implying NOCs have meant that the players turn up in limited tournaments are always available to play for the national teams. However, even in some richer nations, a trend of declining central contracts is being noticed. For instance, someone like Kane Williamson rejected the central contract and continues to play in The Hundred while New Zealand is playing test matches against Zimbabwe.