Watching India play against the West Indies in the first Test in a desolate Dominica stadium is a painful reminder of how far the once-mighty Windies have fallen.
This was after all the place where India recorded some memorable victories in the past – the 1971 series victory when Sunil Gavaskar made his historic debut, India’s successful 400+ target chase in Port-of-Spain Test in 1976 where both Gavaskar and GR Vishwanath scored hundreds, and the 2006 series victory against Lara’s team.
Today’s West Indies is a pale shadow of the team that once boasted of the likes of Richards, Greenidge, Haynes, Lloyd, Marshall, Holding and Roberts in the 1970-80s.
That talented players like Nicholas Pooran, Shimron Hetmeyer and Sheldon Cottrell don’t find a place in today’s team is baffling. A lot of ink has been spilt over the rank mis-management of Caribbean cricket. The lack of money in terms of sponsorship as well as infrastructure at the grassroots level has had more than its fair share in contributing to the current malaise. It is hardly surprising to see talented West Indian crickets of today playing in the T20 leagues across the world including the cash-rich IPL.
Curiously there was hardly any mourning over West Indies’ failure to qualify for the this year’s ODI World Cup. As former Windies great Ian Bishop, who is now a respected commentator, said in a recent interview, West Indies missing out of the ODI World Cup is “a stifling reality” and the decline “predates this group of players”.
Given the domination of the big three — India, Australia and England — it would be an exaggeration to say that world cricket needs a strong West Indies. But cricket fans who remember the glory days of 1970-80s, even a half-decent West Indies side is welcome.