Dear Editor,
I view the exclusion of Shivnarine Chanderpaul from the upcoming Test series against Australia with a mixture of dismay, sadness and outrage. The reason proffered by the selectors is that the West Indies is “keen on looking ahead.” Does that mean the removal of a world class batsman who has repeatedly come to the rescue of the West Indies team and taken them to victory? His calm and unruffled demeanour and his ability to play while injured on several occasions has to be admired.
Certainly the fact that Shivnarine Chanderpaul is willing to give a few good years to Test cricket or at the very least, to play in this series, ought to be taken into account.
Alas he was only 86 runs short of overtaking Brian Lara’s record as leading run scorer in Test matches.
One thing is certain: the West Indies team is at a severe disadvantage without Chanderpaul, and we will miss that staid and composed cricketer and his trademark action of tapping his bail into the ground with his bat.
Yours faithfully,
Prabha Persaud-Kissoon
