Amid the reports doing rounds about the internal rift within the Cricket West Indies (CWI), CWI President Ricky Skerritt has revealed that critics are seeking the dethronement of West Indies team captain Kieron Pollard and coach Phil Simmons from their positions.
Caribbean people like to take people down
“Phil and Pollard have a few, but loud, critics who want them gone for non-cricket reasons,” the CWI president told Cricbuzz ahead of the West Indies team’s visit to India for their white-ball series next month.
“I have no reason to believe there will be any change in coach and captain any time soon. But remember the captaincy is evaluated as is the coach. If the system says these guys are not right people, we will deal with it. At the moment I don’t see anything coming at me that says these guys must go. Caribbean people like to take people down,” he told a local TV station.
The West Indies men’s team is set to tour India for a six-match white-ball series comprising three ODIs and as many T20Is. The team will arrive in India on February 2 while the series will kickstart with the ODI games that will take place on February 6, 9, and 11 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. It will then be followed by the T20I matches that will take place on February 16, 18, and 20 at the Eden Gardens Stadium in Kolkata.
CWI is satisfied that there is no discord between the Team Captain and any member of the West Indies team
The media reports pertaining to the speculated disagreements within the national cricket board recently evoked a clarification on the issue by CWI. “CWI is aware that voice notes were circulated on social media, and in sections of the regional broadcast media, suggesting that there is a rift within the West Indies Senior Men’s team. Contrary to the unsubstantiated statements, containing unfounded and mischievous allegations, CWI is satisfied that there is no discord between the Team Captain and any member of the West Indies team,” the release said.
Adding to this, Skerritt said, “I view this as a malicious attack on the credibility of the West Indies Captain, designed to sow division within our team that has just recorded three very impressive T20I performances against very strong opponents (England). This clear attempt by well-known mischief makers to discredit the captain should not be tolerated or encouraged (sic).”
The leadership of the West Indies team has been under the scanner since their forgettable stint and disappointing performance during the ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup 2021 in UAE. The two-time defending champions even failed to qualify for the knockouts this time around. They have also been showing unsatisfactory performance in their recent bilateral series, the most recent ones of which include the ODI series against Ireland, which they lost by 1-2.
However, the team has been putting in all the efforts to bounce back as they managed to win their five-match T20I series against England 3-2.