The West Indies, seventh in the ICC Test rankings, were recently locked in battle with fourth placed Australia with six of its top warriors unable to join the clash.
Chris Gayle, Marlon Samuels, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo were all thousands of miles from the Caribbean front-lines, arrayed in party attire and engaged in video game warfare for their various IPL teams.
Their absence significantly depleted the West Indies’ arsenal. Under normal circumstances, Gayle, Samuels and Narine would almost certainly have been in the starting 11; while the other three are among those who would have been first in line if the need for replacements arose.
Gayle, his long running dispute with the West Indies Cricket Board now apparently resolved, would surely have opened the batting. Capable of bewildering the opposition with his powerful stroke play he would have made considerable difference to a team currently with vulnerabilities in that position.
Coach Otis Gibson seemed to have suggested that Marlon Samuels would have been the preferred choice at #6. Despite looking out of sorts in the limited-overs games and Deonarine’s good form as the Caribbean’s leading scorer in this year’s regional competition, Gibson curiously announced that the Guyanese was on probation and would be playing only because Samuels had gone to the IPL.
Returning to the side after a two-year absence and concerns about his commitment to fitness, Deonarine, having done reasonably well in the second Test, will be hoping to make the #6 position his own.
Perhaps the most consequential absence, however, was that of Sunil Narine. After perplexing the Australians during the ODI and T20 games they were relieved when he became the concern of batsmen playing against the Kolkata Knight Riders instead.
Michael Hussey admitted as much when he said he was “pretty happy” that Narine had gone to the IPL. He added that all the Australian players found it a “huge challenge” deciphering his mysteries. Indeed, while the West Indies was struggling to take wickets in Trinidad Narine was occupied collecting five for 19 against The Kings XI Punjab.
So there can be little doubt of the harmful impact that the IPL has had on the West Indies team. And you can’t reasonably blame the players. An athletic career is not normally very enduring.
Furthermore, injury or loss of form can bring it to a sudden and unforeseen halt, and in the likely event that the many hours spent honing his craft would have left him with few to develop other marketable skills it is just plain good sense for him to seek to secure his future. Accordingly, the solution to this predicament will have to come from elsewhere.
Recently former Australian captain and current test batsman Ricky Ponting cited the Chris Gayle saga in calling for a window for the IPL.
The problem with that is that there are other T20 leagues (and more will no doubt spring up) that can similarly compromise the primacy of international cricket. A window can’t possibly be created for all of them.
The No Objection Certificates (NOC) are supposed to prevent just this kind of situation, but something has obviously gone awry, at least as far as West Indies cricket is concerned.
In any case the negotiations for NOCs is bound to trigger conflicts between the governing bodies, which would naturally want its best side on the field, and the players who might prefer to go after the much higher earnings that the IPL and other T20 leagues will provide.
And furthermore, is it reasonable to force a professional to play for his country when he would rather be employed elsewhere?
The ICC as the body responsible for international cricket has got to act to preserve its preeminence. There will have to be some streamlining of the cricket calendar to ensure that you don’t have Test matches being contested by second and third-string teams.
So far it seems that only one team is suffering. But if the West Indies can be affected today then there is no telling who else might be affected tomorrow.
Don Corleone
Guest
Seriously, what's your point? Firstly, show me where I said cricket was popular in Canada? Good luck with that. Secondly, If you did some research champion you'd kow that they'd be watching the Star coverage through ATN Canada. There is a demand for televised cricket in Canada due to there being a large Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan and Bangladeshi immigrant population. Thirdly, obviously cricket is not one of the most popular sports in Canada, but there is enough interest in Canada to hold a T20 All-Star game at the Rogers Centre, home of the Toronto Blue Jays. http://www.rogerscentre.com/events/article.jsp?content=20111130_133909_15456 Fourthly, my friends live in an area of Vancouver called Coquitlam. http://www.coquitlam.ca/ I've known these people for years, and if they are not watching the Big Bash, IPL etc,...with their knowledge and detail of the games they have discussed with me...they must have it transmitted directly into their brain from outer space. Perhaps I could arrange to get them on this site to set the record straight, matey? Seriously, get your facts straight if you want to take me on buddy.
Seriously, Who says Oi?
Guest
"Let’s face it, test cricket isn’t for everyone. I have friends in Canada who are have fallen in love with cricket through T20 (Big Bash and IPL) which they watch on Star TV…yet tests seem long, boring and drawn-out." Cricket has no popularity in Canada. You're severely delusional if you think it does. Your average Canadian is likely to have never heard of it. Also that channel isn't available in Canada. Ask your "friends" where their actually from.
Garfield Robinson
Guest
You are probably being a little unfair to the WICB. WI has always played around this time of year. Right after Australia they will tour England and then NZ is coming right after that. What you suggest would not work. If you are saying that the IPL is more important than international cricket then thats your opinion but it to ask the WI to forgo their normal season is not practical.
google
Guest
Agree. WICB is killing west indian cricket currently ony West indies and Aus are playing why? IPL is not that long why not wait till its over? stupid is as stupid does.
Don Corleone
Guest
Perhaps the answer is an international calendar with exclusive windows for T20 domestic premier leagues, International seasons (test, ODI, T20I), World Cups and Champions Trophy. I love test cricket and believe whole-heartedly that it is the pinnacle of the game. However, I don't see that less games would be a bad thing. Fewer games with context would emphasise test cricket's place as the most historically significant, elite and vernated form of the game. I can't see The Ashes series dying out...nor can I see it being played in any other format other than tests. Maybe there will be only be a 3 test series in future. Perhaps less nations will be playing test cricket and only those with an established rivalry will play each other regularly. While Australia has significant test cricket heritage with England (Ashes), India (Border Gavaskar) and West Indies (Frank Worrell), there is no real long-standing contesst with Pakistan, Sri Lanka or Zimbabwe. In contrast to this, nations like Ireland, The Netherlands, Canada, Namibia and Afghanistan will find validation and legitimacy in ODI and T20 and not striving for test creditation. Let's face it, test cricket isn't for everyone. I have friends in Canada who are have fallen in love with cricket through T20 (Big Bash and IPL) which they watch on Star TV...yet tests seem long, boring and drawn-out. As for ODIs...I think they can be revamped. I'd propose 2 innings (25 & 20 overs) unlike the format trialled in the Ryobi Cup, the batting order would restart and it would be playing like a mini-test match. People can take the day off and watch the whole game, whereas people can come down to the ground or watch TV after work at halftime and still see both teams bat and bowl.
Vas Venkatramani
Guest
The plight of West Indian cricket is a combination caused both by the IPL and the WICB. The IPL is an easy target (but still a fair one), because we can have a go at players choosing cash over country. But the WICB, given that marketing revenue in West Indian cricket has shrunk immeasurably, has taken a hardline stance against its players in terms of contracts. That just means living the life of a West Indian cricketer is not financially rewarding. The truth is it rarely has ever been so, but the only difference now is that mega bucks are offered to choose club over country. Solutions? I would love to see Cricket Australia extend the same hand of friendship to West Indian cricket that we received in the 80s and 90s to help us through tough times. Given the quality of cricket played during the recent tour, crowds would flock to the games, and the companies would start shelling their dollars back into WI cricket. Let's hope this isn't just a pipedream. The only other hope is that other powerful nations such as India, England and South Africa keep touring the West Indies regularly. Right now, meaningless 2 test series arent the answer. The last tour of the West Indies was perfect, and by the end, you were still wanting more. Let's hope the sense of goodwill in our game hasn't been compromised in our endless pursuit of cash...
Johnno
Guest
I think it is sad if test cricket dies, but i must admit outside the ashes my interest has waned. There has been the odd good moment like the Aust V NZ test at hobart for example was a good test, but really test cricket outside the ASHES has not grabbed me in the last 5 year. ODI cricket still surprisingly is rating quite well on tv in all markets to my surprise, but worry about the ODI future as well. Both ODI and test cricket i fear of grave futures. T20 may well be the longest form of the game and thing silk 6 a side cricket or the hong kong sixes concept may become more popular. Martin Crowe had designed a short form of cricket to it may have a future. ALso Pro 40 cricket which is played in England, 40 over a side cricket may have a future who knows. But test cricket is 5 days for 7 hours 11-6pm , or 10:30-5:30pm , is a lot of time for a result in anyone books, when sport like soccer and rugby union and basketball take 2 hours to get a result. This is the year 2012 and looking now and into the future i just don't think most people or society has the patience for a sports match to last 5 days a worry, and day night test cricket is not the awnser either in my opinion.
Garfield Robinson
Guest
You might be right about the demise of test cricket. I hope not but you might be right. Do you consider tests the highest form of the game and would you be ok in a world with only T20 and ODIs?
Johnno
Guest
I'd say IPL is good for west indies cricket as kids playing cricket will watch IPL and other T20 tournaments and see the money on offer and they will stick to cricket. Test cricket i really worry if it will last till the year 20/20.
Matt F
Roar Guru
I'd say the WICB is hurting West Indies cricket more than the IPL. As you say, you can't blame players for taking the money on offer. It's all well and good for Australian fans to look at what we pay our best players and claim that cricketers are well payed but outside of the bigger cricket nations (Aus, SA, Eng and India) most international cricketers don't earn anywhere near the type of cash that the IPL can offer. Although the reason why people are calling for a specific window to be created for the IPL is because it pays significantly more cash to it's players then any of the other leagues can even hope to afford, so it is the league that players are more likely to skip international cricket for. The WIndies have the added problem that the IPL hapens to occur at the same time that the WIndies usuallyy schedule their main tour so there is always a clash for them, whereas other international teams don't always play cricket at that time.
Garfield Robinson
Guest
No. He is now playing in England for Leicestershire. Scored a hundred for them recently too. He has been having problems with the West Indies authorities. He was not offered a contract and their was talk about his attitude to fitness and so on. He last played against India last year and did badly and was dropped. There is no doubt though that he is one of the better players in the Caribbean.
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What has happened to Ramnaresh Sarwan? Has he retired?