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Updated November 5th, 2018 at 18:11 IST

Former West Indies skipper Carl Hooper slams senior players, says shame they don't play

Carl Hooper was disappointed to see the absence of the big names from the squad as West Indies succumbed to five-wicket defeat in the opening fixture of the three-match T20 series.

Reported by: Digital Desk
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West Indies stepped foot on Indian soil with their current squad lacking any prior experience of playing in the subcontinent. Stars like Chris Gayle, Andre Russell and Sunil Narine, opted out of the tour citing injury concerns, while some missed it due to their long-standing conflict with the West Indies cricket board.

Adding to that, experienced all-rounder Dwayne Bravo recently announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket, leaving only Jason Holder as the experienced campaigner to lead the young and fearless brigade of West Indies players, who have proved that they are not short on talent and can give the best a run for their money on a given day.

READ: Gautam Gambhir Lashes Out At BCCI And CoA For Allowing Mohammad Azharuddin To Ring Bell At Eden Gardens

The former West Indies skipper Carl Hooper was disappointed to see the absence of the big names from the squad as the visitors succumbed to five-wicket defeat in the opening fixture of the three-match T20 series.

"It's clear that they are not interested in playing for the West Indies. It's a shame," the cricketer-turned-commentator said on the sidelines of the first T20I.

The Carlos Brathwaite led-side who broke England hearts at the same venue to win the ICC World T20 final in 2016, fielded three debutants, including Fabian Allen, Oshane Thomas, and Kharry Pierre.

"It would not have been this easy for India if our seniors played. This is a young squad and they need time," the 51-year-old Hooper said backing the young side.

The West Indies have been inconsistent this year, winning only twice from eight matches. In their last series held in the United States, the Windies lost 1-2 to Bangladesh in July-August. Earlier this year, they suffered a 0-3 drubbing in Pakistan before beating ICC World XI in a one-off T20I in England.

"We need to be consistent. Some days we are playing well, some days we are not performing according to the situation. We have the talent, but they need to be nurtured well. Cricket West Indies needs to adopt good policies," he added.

(PTI inputs)

 

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Published November 5th, 2018 at 17:46 IST

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