The 38-year-old Sammy has been a key man in the shortest format of the game, leading the team to many of their greatest victories and creating a huge platform to lead the team to titles in the 2012 and 2016 World Twenty20. As such, he knows better than most what it takes to excel in T20.
Like many other former greats, Sammy was shocked to see the current team bow out of the 2022 World Twenty20 in Australia with disappointing defeats to Scotland and Ireland in the first round.
Two-time Men’s T20 World Cup-winning captain Darren Sammy revealed where he thinks the West Indies went wrong in this tournament and what the Caribbean side needs to do to become a powerhouse again.
Accordingly, Sammy believes the West Indies made too many mistakes during their time in Australia and were tactically ineffective in all three of their first-round matches.
“I thought as a team we were quite poor tactically and the problem wasn’t the caliber of players as we had enough talent to play much better.”
“The cricket we play now doesn’t match the talent we have in the team. The team lacked inspiration, they lacked motivation and tactically we were not on song.”
“When you look at a wicket and you have Jason Holder who is six-foot-eight (inches) and you have Alzarri Joseph who is bowling well and you keep opening the bowling with Kyle Mayers.”
“No disrespect to him (Mayers) as conditions in St Lucia in the Caribbean are quite different to Australia where the ball bounces.” Sammy said
Also, Sammy said that the West Indies team lost with the ball as well as with the bat in the Powerplay overs and that was a major factor in losing the matches.
“You have got to win the Powerplays both with the bat and the ball, and we found ourselves losing the Powerplays and having to bring the bowlers back on to try and bring us back into the game, and it was the same with the bat.”
Also, after this bitter defeat, West Indies cricket president Ricky Skerritt announced in a statement that a full review would be conducted on what went wrong in the 2022 T20 World Cup.
Also, the head coach of the West Indies team, Phil Simmons, later announced that he will step down as the head coach after the upcoming tour of Australia. Accordingly, former captain Sammy’s opinion was that the next coach should be selected correctly.
“The sad thing is that not many people are putting their hands up to come and coach the West Indies.”
“Even though we were not performing at Tests and ODI, we dominated T20I cricket (during his playing career) and that was something that would bring smiles to the fans, and now we have lost it.”
“Whoever comes in (as coach) needs to be tactically sound, have good man management skills and the people around him need to be technically correct,” he added
Speaking further, the former skipper insisted that this culture needs to change soon or West Indies will be stuck in the mud for some time.
“There needs to be some learnings and some teachings about what we represent as whether you like it or not, West Indies is still every fan’s second favorite team.”
“The world needs West Indies cricket to be strong and we were not there tactically and I have spoken about that.”
“There needs to be a new inspiration as the team outgrew the staff in the dressing room.” he said
Also, Sammy said that the West Indies team has no shortage of talent and the game needs to have the right people at different stages, proper planning, and the right players at the right time.
“But we have the guys. You look at Jason Holder, Nicholas Pooran, Rovman Powell, Shai Hope…there is not lack of talent.
“It is about picking the right personnel for the situation and the different stages that the game needs with proper planning and the right players for the right time.” Former captain concluded
We all want to see chandapaul coach the west inedes
Mr Sammy I personally don’t think any coach or manager could turn around West Indies cricket, turning around and development of West Indies cricket is in the hands of the CWI and the entire West Indian cricket catchment Region.
All Respect to what you said, that’s just part of the problem, you are very correct, when you said, opening the bowling with Mayer and having Holder and Alzarrhi.
Best Wishes Sammy and WI restructuring.
West Indies cricket problems run deeper than having the correct coach…. None of our present players are prolific run getters at domestic level, how the hell do we expect them to get runs at international level…..Surely your batting technic has to be correct and sound long before you get called up to represent WI. If it is left to the coaches to correct such flaws at this stage , then it is already too late….
Well, some good observations and thoughts, but it is hard for a coach, if/when the players don’t want to listen, and be proud and play with a passion, and play to win!