With Sunil Narine pulling out from West Indies’ squad for the ICC World Cup 2015, the problems for an already depleted Caribbean side have compounded. Without Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo already missing from the mix, Narine‘s departure from the squad puts West Indies on the back foot even more, feels Shiamak Unwalla.
When three of a side’s most famous players miss out on a tournament, West Indies are bound to find the going tough. And for them, the only name bigger than Bravo, Pollard, and Narine is Chris Gayle. Each of these players have the ability to turn the game around with their individual brilliance, having done so repeatedly for their respective Twenty20 (T20) teams.
While T20s and One-Day Internationals (ODIs) are undoubtedly different ball games, one cannot ignore the fact that Narine has had an impact even in ODIs. In 52 matches he has played so far, Narine has snared 73 wickets at an impressive average of 26.49 while maintaining a strike rate of 38.6. These are good numbers in themselves, but add to that his economy rate of a miserly 4.10, and Narine’s full worth comes through.
Much like in T20s, Narine manages to hold sway over opposing batsmen with his subtle variations and shrewd changes in pace and length. Unlike Ajantha Mendis, whom quality batsmen managed to figure out a year into his career, Narine has enjoyed sustained success over the last five years or so.
Narine’s T20 record is the stuff of legends; in 144 matches he has taken 189 wickets at a staggering average of 15.82 and a strike rate of 17.4. For someone who knows how to get batsmen out, he also does a remarkable job of restricting batsmen.
West Indies will dearly miss the services of Narine. In a team that is still finding its feet, he would have proven to be a stable influence, capable of providing a special spark that sometimes changes a game. The fact that Pollard and Bravo aren’t a part of the side only weakens them further. The onus will now be on the likes of Gayle, Darren Sammy, Andre Russell, and newly-appointed skipper Jason Holder to lead the way.
Not a lot of people give the West Indies even a fighting chance in this edition of the World Cup. Now that even Narine is out of commission, there would be even less of a chance. But it might just be to the West Indies’ advantage that no one expects anything of them. They have the ability to pull off a few surprises.
(Shiamak Unwalla, a reporter with CricketCountry, is a self-confessed Sci-Fi geek and cricket fanatic. You can follow him on Twitter @ShiamakUnwalla)
Written by 
