My Marlon Munroe
A week after being named MVP of the inaugural Caribbean Twenty20 Championships, Guyanese leg spinner Devendra Bishoo, according to cricket writer George Whyte, should be afforded the opportunity to develop at the highest level.
Whyte, who writes for the Caribbean Life in New York, believes that Bishoo, 24, can form part of the West Indies resurgence at the international level where the Caribbean side is placed eighth of the ten ICC Test playing nations.
He thinks that Bishoo is a good bowler and should help form a nucleus of players to lead that process but he must be thrust into the West Indies Test side.
In an interview with Stabroek Sport Whyte said:“Bishoo should develop his bowling in Test cricket since he has the ability to become a world-class spinner.”
Whyte said that Bishoo, who has 71 wickets from 18 first class matches, has been improving and producing for Guyana and therefore the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) selectors should see his elevation into international cricket as a necessity.
Whyte, who said he has been a journalist for 17 years, suggested that Bishoo should be on the West Indies team for the tour of Sri Lanka in November.
West Indies will play three Test matches and five ODIs in Asia and Whyte reiterated that this may be the right breeding ground for the young spinner.
He noted that the pitches in that continent are tailor-made for spinners and seamers and said the WICB should look to Bishoo as a bowling option. Further, he indicated that while Test cricket was dying a slow death due to the emergence of the electrical and entertaining T20 format, Bishoo must be developed in the longer version of the game before moving into the one-day and 20/20 formats.
He believes that Bishoo can compliment Sulieman Benn, Shane Shillingford and Nikita Miller.
He reasoned that the future of West Indies cricket will depend heavily on spin bowling, the same way it once depended on a four-prong pace attack.
On the other hand, Whyte emphasised that the WI selectors should apply for the young emerging batsmen. He referred to the Trinidadian Adrian Barath as a “world class batsman”, Darren Bravo as an excellent player for the future and mentioned that Jonathan Foo, with the right grooming can become a star.
There is not a shortage of talent in the Caribbean but the powers that be in the regional governing body need to put the proper systems in place to develop the cricketers.
Meanwhile, Whyte weighed in on Christopher Gayle’s captaincy stating that he should resign with pride from the post. Whyte feels that the low morale of the team stems from not only losing consistently but from Gayle’s inability to provide “any leadership.”
“He is too laid back,” Whyte said, adding that for this he should be replaced immediately. These comments come on the heels of the Jamaican selectors replacing Gayle with Tamar Lambert for the Caribbean Twenty20 Championships.
Whyte, like many have expressed before, thinks that Daren Ganga should be brought back to the team since Ramnaresh Sarwan has turned down the offer, current vice captain Denesh Ramdin is not a quality player and Dwayne Bravo should focus on developing his game.
Additionally, Whyte thinks that Gayle, who has scored 6007 runs from 88 Test matches at an average of 40.31, should bat down the order in Test cricket. He believes that he should remain at the top of the order for the ODIs and 20/20 since he is an explosive batsman.
He stated that Gayle has led the team long enough and much has not changed and therefore the next best thing should be the changing of the guard.
