West Indies head coach Darren Sammy likened the decline of Test cricket in the Windies to cancer in the system which has been allowed to fester for a long time. The two time T20 World Cup winning captain said that while they are open to criticism, the root of the problem in WI Test cricket had started long back.
“I mean last time we won a Test series in 1983, my mother had me,” he said in jest about 42 years of not winning a red ball series in India.
“I know now I’m under the microscope. I’m in the middle, and we’re open to criticism, to be criticized by everybody. But, the root of the problem didn’t start two years ago. It’s something that started way back. It’s like a cancer that’s already in the system. If you don’t get cancer, you know what happens. And, again, it’s breast cancer month. So, it’s a good way to put it. That our problems don’t lie on the surface. It’s rooted deep into our system,” Sammy added.
West Indies are currently in the midst of a 2-match Test series against India, having already lost the first match by an innings and 140 runs.
“We could only work with what we have and who’s willing. The inability to match some of the franchises across the world has been an issue. But what I always tell these guys, if we complain about not having the best facilities, not having enough manpower like the other teams, not having the best technology, all these things which the other teams are superior to us, it’s no secret,” he said.
“The difference in the different teams, the top 3-4 teams in the world versus the bottom four. We’ve been struggling for finance for a long time. That’s one of the reasons why Brian (Lara), Shiv (Chanderpaul) they’re going to have this event this afternoon. Trying to see if we can get sponsors to help in some of the areas that we need improvement,” he added.
