PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Newly appointed West Indies captain Darren Sammy has gotten a nod of approval from former West Indies Cricket Board selector Raphick Jumadeen.
“I think that Sammy over the years has shown that he has all the attributes of being a strong leader,” said Jumadeen, who was removed from the senior selection panel in July.
“In the sense that he is very positive in his game plan whether batting, bowling or fielding. He is willing to go out there and play his life for West Indies cricket and you need someone like that lead your team who can go out there and lead from in front.”
The 26-year-old Sammy was announced last Sunday to lead West Indies on the tour three-Test four of Sri Lanka, replacing Chris Gayle who served as captain for the last three years. He will skipper a side that is without experienced batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan and Denesh Ramdin, and which includes Darren Bravo, Andre Russell and Devon Thomas none of whom have played a Test. Jumadeen, who took 29 wickets in 12 Tests between 1972 and 1979 with his left-arm spin, believes the 15-man squad represented a new start for Windies cricket.
“If you look at the team it is a mixture of youth and experience,” said the 62-year-old. “As Clyde Butts (chairman) said it’s a new dawn, a new era and we have to bring new faces to the front. I feel by bringing new faces you can bring new energy and good things can happen.”
The side will face a strong Sri Lanka side which is likely to include the likes of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, and Jumadeen said it was important that the young members adapt quickly.
“I’m hoping that this team will learn very quickly. There is no honeymoon period for this team. The young (Darren) Bravo and the young (Adrian) Barath, they have to come on par as quickly as possible,” he said. “It’s a nice all-round team. It is blended with youth and experience. You have Chris Gayle you have Devon Smith you have (Shivnarine) Chanderpaul in the middle the big Bravo (Dwayne), it (the team) has balance. I think it is a team that will grow from strength to strength.”
