Joseph responds to head coach’s comments

West Indies’ build up to the second Test against Pakistan at Queen’s Park Oval, has been dominated by an increasingly public difference of opinions between fast bowler Alzarri Joseph and head coach Daren Sammy.

The regional side heads into the game which bowls off on Sunday, with a rare chance for a Test series sweep, after winning the opening match at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy by 90 runs.

Joseph has played no part in the series with Sammy, who also serves as the team’s head selector, stating that the Antiguan had “declined selection and was unavailable due to personal reasons.”

Speaking during the Antigua Observer’s Good Morning Jojo Sports Show, a frank Joseph described Sammy’s statement regarding his absence as “controversial, without context.”

“We had a chat, myself and the head coach. I’ve also had a chat with CWI and if you realise the statement CWI released said personal reasons. Mr Sammy, being around for a long time, he knows exactly what that statement would have done so, to be honest, I have nothing to say to Mr Sammy in terms of his statement.

“I’m a professional, so I’m going to go to work. I am representing the West Indies. I’m not representing Daren Sammy, so for me, I’m neither here nor there in terms of a relationship.

“I don’t go there to make friends. I go there to work and do a job and represent the people of the West Indies.”

Joseph also maintained that he chose to sit out the series out of an abundance of caution, having just returned to West Indies duty following a stress fracture of his lower back.

“Obviously, I’ve been out for an entire year. I haven’t played at international intensity for so long after having a second stress fracture,” Joseph said. 

“We spoke about me playing the two Test matches here, playing five back-to-back ODIs and I knew to myself, my body was not ready to go into another Test series. So, the statement in itself is controversial, without context.”

(KH)