Shivnarine Chanderpaul has been excluded from the West Indies Test squad to take on the Australians in the coming weeks – an omission as puzzling as the great man’s batting technique.
The 40-year-old has not been selected despite sitting just a miserly 86 runs behind Brian Lara as the top run-scorer in West Indian cricket history. Was this taken into account before his snubbing at the selection table? Was there perhaps a desire to protect Brian Lara’s record?
I expected his experience and cool head would be critical against the Australians. Is throwing up-and-coming batsmen such as Jermaine Blackwood and Kraigg Brathwaite into the deep end against a world-class Australian pace attack ideal?
There is room to keep Chanderpaul, while giving the youngsters an opportunity.
There’s no hiding that Chanderpaul’s most recent numbers at Test level have been dismal – his top score in the recent three-Test series against England this year was just 46. However it is also important to point out that Chanderpaul boasts 1045 runs at an average of 80.38 against Australia on home soil since 2003.
Someone who has given West Indian cricket so much has been snubbed at the most inopportune time. This is a series where he would have been an important cog in their batting line-up.
Jason Hosken
Guest
Great career in a struggling side, phenomenal persistence. At 40, that's plenty of time to pass Lara, ultimately runner-up nothing to be sneezed at. Lets remember the good times and encourage the new brigade.
Matt
Roar Rookie
Let's be honest, for all the hand wringing from guys like Lara, and Indian pundits noting that long serving Indians get a farewell opportunity, Australia handle successions in a similarly ruthless fashion more often than not. Sometimes you need to force change, and unfortunately at age 40 Shiv has less rope than most.
The Bush
Roar Guru
At this point in your career, especially when you're 40, you basically cannot have a bad run with the bat or ball. You are basically playing for your Test career every innings. Unless you're Shane Watson.
dan ced
Guest
Heh!
AREH
Roar Guru
Thanks guys, I don't disagree with any of the sentiments. I too don't believe there is an extended place for Chanderpaul in the side, perhaps just for this series against an experienced and top quality opponent preparing for an Ashes series.
Pope Paul VII
Guest
good one Paully D
Paul D
Roar Guru
He could go out and score a triple hundred and still not get picked, it’s all the rage these days.
dan ced
Guest
Out of form. If he gets runs for Guyana, he should still have a chance to get back into the team even at his age.
Pope Paul VII
Guest
Blackwood will need a sledging coach. Great player the old Shiv but maybe he's just not sharp enough. Punter and Kallis were both like that and it was time to go.
CW
Guest
Yes his form is down. But he is still a useful contributor with the bat. It is as a mentor and someone with vast experience against Australia that would have been far more important for this young West Indian side. Brian Lara said Shiv deserved better if he has indeed played his last test match. I tend to agree.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Shiv also has been having real trouble with the short ball, which was exposed by England's quicks recently. That would have been a serious concern given the extra pace and aggression of the Aussie quicks.
Paul D
Roar Guru
As you say, his numbers have been dreadful and he’s 40. The West Indies have got a lot of young up and coming players as well – at some point you have to bite the bullet and blood new talent. It could very well be that his approach to batting doesn’t fit into what the West Indies are trying to do in terms of building their side. If past numbers against teams counted, Allan Border would be picked to play against the West Indies this series.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
Shiv hasn't seriously troubled the scorers in close to a year, and the man making the decision (Clive Lloyd) is from his home island, so I doubt it was some kind of Lara protecting nepotism. 3-5 will presumably be Bravo, Samuels, and Blackwood -- that's not a bad middle order, if Blackwood continues to develop it may be the best the West Indies have had in at least a decade.