Lack of consistency has been the bane of West Indies cricket. Now there?s a silver lining in the cloud; the World T20 showed they have the batting firepower to decimate their opponents
So, West Indies did it Gangnam style and they are hungry for more. Standing on the World T20 platform, Marlon Samuels said, ?Test cricket is the best cricket? and they wanted to use the T20 triumph as a platform for future success. Desire seems to be burning once again in Babylon.
It?s too early to use the word revival. Lack of consistency has been the bane of West Indies cricket for the past two decades. Now there?s just a silver lining in the cloud. West Indies were Sourav Ganguly?s choice before the start of the tournament. People, including some small-time cricketers-turned-self styled experts, took a jibe at the former India captain for backing a team that didn?t win anything since 2004. But Ganguly?s logic was based on his experience at the IPL, where he saw the Caribbean stars from very close quarters.
So much has been said about the negative effects of the Indian Premier League. Just a couple of days after West Indies won the world event in Colombo, Carl Hooper took a dig at the IPL from faraway Australia, saying that it is ?one of the biggest threats to cricket?. Hooper reacted in haste, for the facts say otherwise. If he would have looked at it without prejudice Hooper might have admitted that the IPL played a big part in helping West Indies cricket come out of the rut. Chris Gayle, Marlon Samuels, Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Dwayne Bravo?players who formed the bedrock of this success, have all benefited from their stint in the IPL. The cut-throat world of the Indian league taught them the importance of winning, which they brought into their national team. Killer instinct was lacking in the West Indies team. We saw a refreshing change in the World T20.
It was that winning mentality which saw them through in the super-over against New Zealand and also in the final. The going got very tough in the first 10 overs in the final but West Indies showed the stomach for fight and waited for their moment.
In the 1970s and ?80s West Indies used to intimidate the opposition with their lethal pace battery. The World T20 showed now they have the batting firepower to decimate their opponents. It?s a batting line-up that keeps coming at you. Brightest among the constellation is Chris Gayle?the biggest T20 match winner world has seen.
Throughout the tournament Gayle tried to perfect his Gangnam steps. But that was off the field. On the field he provided the spark that was missing in the West Indies team. More than his 222 runs, which made him the fourth highest run-getter of the tournament, he was the X-Factor that every winning team wanted to have. Gayle?s inclusion has transformed this West Indies side. Not very long ago Gayle was at loggerheads with the team management and his cricket board. IPL provided him the platform to show his skills when he was the persona non grata in West Indies cricket. He wanted to make a statement and the Bangalore Royal Challengers gave him the opportunity to wield his willow.
All said and done, Gayle is no Viv Richards. But at present he is the only man in Caribbean cricket capable of doing the impossible. The West Indies Cricket Board was a little late to realise their mistake. But better late than never. Gayle?s roaring comeback to international cricket put the smiles back on the fans’ faces. It also put the team back on the winning path.
He played a crucial role in the team?s Test and ODI series win against New Zealand. Colombo was just the continuation of an ongoing saga?that the Gayle-force was set to blow away everything. Unfortunately the Aussies were the worst affected. IPL helped the Jamaican marauder to be on top of his game.
Samuels was banned from cricket for two years for his alleged involvement in match fixing. His man of the match effort in the final gave ample evidence that Samuels is keen to make up for lost time. There was never any doubt about his talent but he was struggling to get into the groove after his return from exile. He was suffering for the lack of self belief.
A season under Ganguly at the Pune Warriors did him a world of good. Samuels got back his confidence and carried forward that belief to the Test series in England. West Indies lost the series but Samuels stood tall amid the ruins. He is now ready to take on the world. Narine earned a big reputation as a mystery spinner, playing for Kolkata Knight Riders. He was instrumental in KKR’s IPL triumph and in the process became a mature bowler who can perform under pressure.
Narine, Pollard and Bravo refused central contract as they chose to play in the IPL. They were vilified back home but that didn’t change anything for the cricketers. The decision not only helped add to their bank balance but also made them better cricketers. IPL gave them an opportunity to share the dressing room with the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Jacques Kallis and other champion cricketers.
They learnt about different match situations and the right way to approach the task. West Indies cricket gained from that. Time will tell if West Indies would be able to use this success as a stepping stone to move up the ladder. Currently they are ranked seventh in both Test cricket and ODI. But they have the wherewithal and their new-found team spirit to make a rapid progress. And if in the near future they can regain their lost glory they must thank the cash-rich Indian league for their revival.
The powers-that-be in world cricket should also take note. Rather than creating a conflict, a separate window for the IPL will make things simpler for everyone. There is no need to be jealous and criticise something which has come here to stay. IPL does have qualities to enrich the game.