“[…] There was also disappointment in the fact that Alzarri Joseph, who is on a multi-format contract with the West Indies board, opted out to go and play franchise cricket.
“It is an issue that does not seem to arise with the other ICC affiliates… The West Indies side would have been a lot stronger if the likes of Shai Hope and Sherfane Rutherford had been contracted and not gone to the BPL…”
The following guest column on the West Indies’ team for a two Test series away to Pakistan was submitted to Wired868 by veteran cricket commentator Joseph ‘Reds’ Perreira:

Photo: George Halfhide/ CWI Media
When one saw the squad announced by Cricket West Indies (CWI), there was in fact a resemblance to the squad picked to play in the two Test series against Bangladesh in the West Indies, which ended 1-1.
There was a welcome addition in the selection of Amir Jangoo. There was also disappointment in the fact that Alzarri Joseph, who is on a multi-format contract with the West Indies board, opted out to go and play franchise cricket.
It is an issue that does not seem to arise with the other ICC affiliates and can only be overcome through early dialogue between the director of cricket and the appointed coach, by communicating with the players on a one-to-one basis what are the plans for the upcoming year and whether they are part of those plans.

Following that, the West Indies board needs to take the requisite action in terms of providing multi-format contracts for the players who have been identified, so the players’ security is assured and the best players will be available and not lost to franchise cricket.
Early communication is the key.
Another important action is the West Indies board must apply the objection certificate and not just allow players to go off and play franchise cricket. The West Indies board must be stronger in ensuring its contracted players do not feel they have the freedom to go and play franchise cricket, in spite of those contracts.
Other boards apply it and ensure their players are available for selection when a series is being planned.

Photo: Randy Brooks/ CPL T20 via Getty Images
An example of this came last year when the Guyana Amazon Warriors contracted Pakistan opener Saim Ayub and an Afghan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz to play in the CPL. Their boards then entered into an international series and they were both ordered not to go to Guyana and had to represent their countries instead.
Back to the West Indies test side for Pakistan.
I think our team has a good balance with Kraigg Brathwaite, Mikyle Louis, Kavem Hodge, Keacy Carty, Alick Athanaze, the all-rounder Justin Greaves, three keepers in Joshua Da Silva, Tevin Imlach and Amir Jangoo, the bowling attack led by Kemar Roach and Jayden Seales, Anderson Phillip, Gudakesh Motie, Jomel Warrican and the off-spinner Kevin Sinclair.

Jangoo scored 104 not out as West Indies won by four wickets.
It is interesting that they have selected three keepers. It is not very often you find three keepers in any touring squad. But one must see Jangoo as someone who can make the squad as a batsman—because he offers to compete as an opener and can be competitive in the middle order against Athanaze and Carty.
Da Silva and Imlach would therefore be the two keepers.
Da Silva, who didn’t have a very good tour against Bangladesh, really needs to improve both with the bat—scoring vital runs in the middle order as vice-captain—and being a lot tidier behind the stumps.

(Copyright Gareth Copley/ Getty Images)
We can have a situation where we may not play four fast bowlers against Pakistan and we could well see two spinners being included, at least in the first Test.
The spinners are all basically very different: Motie is attacking, getting a little more bounce and turn; Warrican can be very frustrating for batsmen who want to get the ball away and he can build pressure; and Sinclair would like to return to the level that he showed in Australia, where he got 50 and bowled reasonably well.
For coach Andre Coley, it will be a very difficult tour. One hopes he ensures that all the players chosen keep their eyes on the ongoing series between Pakistan and South Africa to be well equipped with the knowledge of their upcoming opponents’ bowling and batting.

Photo: CWI Media
One can expect that Pakistan will be better prepared for the two test series than the West Indies, simply because they are now playing two test matches in South Africa before heading home to take on the West Indies.
And where they have not shown a great deal of focus on spin in South Africa, they may soon return to their spinners who did extremely well against England in Pakistan.
It will be Coley’s last assignment as West Indies coach, as he has been informed that he will not be retained. So, he has got a special job to really get the players to play for him, and to work hard and apply themselves and believe in themselves.

Photo: ICC
He would hope to have similar success to what he had in Australia where he drew the series.
The West Indies side would have been a lot stronger if the likes of Shai Hope and Sherfane Rutherford had been contracted and not gone to the BPL. Hope could have batted at seven and kept wicket, with Rutherford occupying the number six position.
For Brathwaite and Roach, it could be their last away tours for the West Indies. A good away tour in Pakistan may give them the opportunity to end their careers against Australia in the West Indies, because our next trip to New Zealand could be a bridge too far.

Photo: CWI Media
Our team can be a lot stronger against Australia who will come to the West Indies to play in three test matches—provided all the players make themselves available and the CWI offers the necessary contracts to ensure their commitment.
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I can’t help but remember an interview Ian Bishop had with sprint Great Yohan Blake and his advice to up and coming and current cricketers was to invest in themselves to effect improvements in their game. There seem to be little pride among our players where performance/output/outcomes are concern. As the youths would say it is all about “paper chasing” it seems. I am currently looking at the India vs Australia series and I am even questioning the notion of Test cricket dying. The crowd sizes, the skills on display and just the sheer commitment of the players on display suggest these teams have not gotten that memo.