Former West Indies' legendary batter and captain Brian Lara is disappointed with the current state of West Indies, lamenting the lack of talent development at the grassroots level. Lara's comments came in the ongoing first Test, where West Indies are struggling against England at Lord's.
The visiting Caribbean side is on the brink of the defeat in the opening Test of the three-match series. West Indies were bowled out for 121 before England took a 250-run lead after being bundled out for 371 in the first innings. In the second innings, West Indies are trailing by 171 runs after posting a total 79/6 in 34.5 overs at the end of Day 2.
Speaking on BBC's Stumped Podcast, Brian Lara is of the opinion that pumping money into West Indies cricket will not help in improving their game. He added that the West Indies failed to nurture the talent at the grassroots level.
"If you put 100 million, 200 million dollars into the West Indies' bank account, is it going to change the way we play the game? I'm not sure. We are not harnessing the talent that we have." Former West Indies skipper said.
West Indies cricket has been experiencing a decline in recent years. The Caribbean lacks the dominance it once had in world cricket during the 1970s and 80s, when they were known for their formidable pace attack and batting prowess.
During Brian Lara's playing days in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, West Indies witnessed flashes of brilliance with the bat and bowl but failed to maintain consistency in international cricket.
Brian Lara blames West Indies Cricket Board
The legendary batter blamed the West Indies Cricket Board for not bringing in sponsors at the grassroots to ensure that young talents get proper support. He added that the proper infrastructure and facilities are important for nurturing promising players.
"The West Indies Cricket Board hasn't done the right job in attracting these sponsors to ensure that at least grassroots, but also the academy, all the different things, the facilities, are up to standard. I think these things are very, very important." Lara said on the BBC podcast.
West Indies are playing the first Test series since the historic The Gabba Test win against Australia, young talented pacer Shamar Joseph dismantled the Aussies' batting line-up with his bowling brilliance.
However, the ongoing first against England, West Indies are not up to the mark as the batters haven't struggling to deliver their best.
Meanwhile, West Indies recently hosted the T20 World Cup 2024 but the co-hosts failed to qualify for the semifinal as they finished third in the Group 2 of the Super 8.
