HomeOpinionsDarren Sammy's unceremonious sacking pushes West Indies cricket in further turmoil
Darren Sammy’s unceremonious sacking pushes West Indies cricket in further turmoil
Darren Sammy may not have significantly contributed with both bat and ball in ICC World T20 2016, but his devil-may-care leadership helped the team perform well as a cohesive unit. He injected unity in the team, something that even the board failed to maintain.
Victory or defeat, they believe in celebration. They are jovial, happy-go-lucky, and full of life. With Reggae music running in the background and a bottle of beer in their hand, the kind of joyful enthusiasm the crowd displays in the Caribbean is infectious. And the credit goes to the West Indian cricketers. With superior performances one after another, they commanded respect and adulation in the 70s and 80s. Unfortunately, as a fan, I wasn’t a part of the era, but I did grow up listening to the tales of their domination in 90s. Gradually, I became a wanna-be West Indian, so much so that I stayed up late nights to cherish the ‘Caribbean brand of cricket’, albeit being an ardent Team India fan. Also read – IND vs WI 2nd Test: Hosts’ endurance bolsters Test cricket credentials
As a matter of fact, that doesn’t happen anymore. The once-easygoing and cool West Indian cricket has been in a state of turmoil for the past half a decade. More than the cricketers, the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) often made headlines. Players were not being paid the due amount, and even threatened to abandon the scheduled series. Captains were being changed for no apparent reason. Players were being sacked, citing disciplinary issues. One thing led to another and my fandom is no longer the same.
The latest entrant to have sparked the issue is Darren Sammy, the only captain to win ICC World T20 twice.
“I got a call yesterday. It was probably 30 seconds, from the chairman of selectors telling me that they have reviewed the captaincy of the Twenty20 team, and I won’t be captain anymore and that my performances have not merited selection in the squad,” Sammy said in a Facebook video he posted on Friday.
To mark WICB’s words, his performance did not merit selection in the squad. To be fair to the board, the ‘performance’ part is valid, but there’s a reasonable story to prove otherwise.
“I never worry about the critics. If Jesus Christ was crucified, then who is Darren Sammy?” he said after winning the ICC World T20 2012, their first major trophy in 8 years.
In the same match, Sammy scored a quickfire 26 in death overs to help West Indies post a decent total (not to forget Marlon Samuel’s magnificent 78; his contribution does demand a mention). For the all-rounder he is known for, Sammy went on to pick two wickets in his only two-over spell, and that too of Angelo Mathews and Lahiru Thirmanne, eventually winning the final by 36 runs. Also read – VVS Laxman: Glimmer of hope for West Indies vs India
However, his role in ICC World T20 2016 was that of someone who can keep the team together and boost its morale. That isn’t big a task, for he naturally is a charming and charismatic personality. He shook a leg to the ‘Champion’ song with Dwaye Bravo and others after the team won a match. In the team bus as well, he was always at the forefront of a celebration, never forgetting the Caribbean culture.
Eventually, he may not have significantly contributed with both bat and ball, but his devil-may-care leadership helped the team perform well as a cohesive unit. He injected unity in the team, something that even the board failed to maintain.
All the same, he knew his role. He was well aware of the team’s weaknesses and strengths. He was mindful that he had better cricketers than him at his disposal, and he unselfishly accepted that. He pushed himself well down the order, giving others the opportunity to take the charge. He rarely completed his four-over quota, knowing his slow-medium pace will be taken to the cleaners on flat Indian tracks. In short, he did everything his team demanded.
To credit him, he even joined the celebration when the West Indies women’s team won this year’s ICC World T20. He congratulated each and every player with a dearly hug, later dancing with them in the West Indian style. To remind you, this all happened just before their final against England. Others would have been nervous, but Sammy, as joyful as he is, involved himself as if he was a part of the team. Also read: What if WI bring their T20 approach into Test cricket?
Hence, why would the board sack a captain who gave the West Indies the joy and pride they were perennially toiling hard for?
Anyhow, remember Carlos Brathwaite? Yes, that Carlos Brathwaite, who cricketer-turned-commentator Ian Bishop heaped praises on when he bludgeoned four colossal sixes to take West Indies over the line. Yes, that Carlos Brathwaite is likely to be Sammy’s replacement.
With only eight-match experience, he may be appointed the captain of T20 side. If you take Sammy’s view on this, he would be happy for the fellow cricketer.
As a matter fact, T20 is the only format West Indies have been prevailing in. Let alone their dismal performance in Tests, they couldn’t even qualify for the ICC Champions Trophy 2017.
Thus, Darren Sammy’s unceremonious sacking pushes West Indies cricket in further turmoil.
(Kaustubh S. Mayekar, a reporter at CricketCountry, played cricket at U-16 level. Like his idol Rahul Dravid, he often shadow-practises cricket shots. His Twitter handle is @kaumedy_)
This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Strictly Necessary Cookies
Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.
If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.