The decision by West Indies management to give Nicholas Pooran the One Day International (ODI) captaincy over vice-captain Shai Hope has not escaped the notice of former Barbados player Jamal Smith, who says there is a lack of clarity in the process.
In the second ODI match against India played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad which the regional side lost by 44 runs, Pooran was handed the captaincy in place of an injured Kieron Pollard. However, Smith who also represented Combined Campuses and Colleges, said Hope should have been the one to lead the Caribbean side given the fact he was named the official vice-captain.
“I would say that there is lack of clarity in the process in itself because naturally, you assume that a vice-captain will follow suit if his captain is unavailable, case in point Nicholas Pooran in the just concluded English T-20 series was captain during the two games that Kieron Pollard was injured. So, you would expect the same thing to happen for Shai Hope in the One Day International series,” Smith explained.
He added: “I was thinking about the West Indies preparing for the post-Pollard era, so against that backdrop, I still think they would need at least one more candidate that should be allowed to show his leadership prowess.
“So, if we are saying that Pooran is the vice-captain for the T-20s, albeit he has been doing a very good job tactically, you have to give him that, then if they are saying Shai Hope is the vice-captain of the ODI team then he should be given the opportunity to lead the ODIs so that we would at least have two possible candidates that we can at least go forward within different formats.”
Despite already losing the ODI series 2-0 with one match left tomorrow, Smith stated that there are some areas West Indies needed to explore more as it relates to the batting order.
“There are some options we have to explore like Kyle Mayers coming to the top (of the batting order) as he has done in the T20 series (recently against England) so we can get that electrifying start. That would be an option. Bonner (Nkrumah) himself hasn’t been given the opportunity to see what he can do. So, with the series gone now, probably the West Indies will look to explore their options in the batting department a little more,” Smith said.
Darren Bravo continues to fail at number three in the side and his place in the line-up has been called into question. While some have suggested that Rovman Powell is a replacement option and could make a difference, Smith has a few reservations about his inclusion.
“The challenge I have with Rovman is pretty much the challenge I have with all our white-ball batsmen at the moment – with the exception of Shai Hope. We have yet to find that batter who can come in at number three, four, five and play that innings from 15 to over 35 or 40. Whether Rovman has the tools to do that we have to wait and see but he certainly will be an option going forward especially given our batting is limited. Having said that, he gave a good account of himself in the T20 series, therefore if his confidence is there, I have to give him the opportunity.
“It is undeniable what Bravo has done in the past but he has just not been able to find his groove and his reintroduction into international cricket is very sad for West Indies cricket because a guy with his ability up to when he started, to the break in his career, one was hoping that he would have been one of the elder statesmen leading the batting charge. So, currently, at this point, his numbers are down and his persistence is not paying off,” Smith told Barbados TODAY.
Smith said he was hoping to see the return of Shimron Hetmyer. “Well for me the only issue about Shimron Hetmyer would have to be his fitness which has been questioned but there is no doubt about his ability as a batter. His leadership ability one can question because Under-19 cricket is long gone and he is now into the big leagues.
“We will have to see how he goes and whether he has the temperament to do so at this level but certainly in terms of his ability, he is one that can be around any form of West Indies cricket. I think he owes it to the West Indies people to get himself in order and Cricket West Indies owes it to us to ensure that once he gets himself in order where his fitness is concerned – they must select the young man to do what he does best and that is to go out there and represent West Indies with the bat in hand.”
morissalindsay@barbadostoday.bb
