Ganga: Jamaican duo will add experience

JELANI BECKLES

Former Trinidad and Tobago cricket captain and West Indies opener, Daren Ganga, says the inclusion of West Indian duo Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels in the squad to face England in the upcoming One Day International Series will bring some much needed experience.

West Indies got off to a poor start on tour of England, losing by an innings and 209 runs in the first Test match which ended in three days on Saturday. Gayle last played an ODI for West Indies in March 2015, while Samuels last played in October 2016 as both players had conflicts with Cricket West Indies.

Ganga said experience is currently needed in the West Indies team, which is currently being led by 25 year old Jason Holder in the three-match Test series against England.

“Right now if you compare our West Indies team against the current England Test team, you would see that the team fails in comparison to the experience on that England side,” Ganga said.

“Any amount of leadership and experience would obviously be an added boost for our current West Indies team. It is refreshing news for both Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels. I am sure it will make our ODI team a little more competitive than it has been. Hopefully these guys can lead the West Indies team to some victories in the ODI series.”

West Indies were poor in last month’s ODI series against India in the Caribbean, losing the five-match series 3-1 with rain washing out one of the matches.

Holder has come in for serious criticism for his captaincy but Ganga said he has a difficult task with such an inexperienced team.

“It is really unfortunate for him to be placed in a situation where he has got a bunch of inexperienced players. I saw a little bit of the first Test match against England...but everyone before the start of this series knew it would be an uphill battle for a young, inexperienced West Indies team. They had a very good start to the Test match with Kemar Roach leading with the ball, but losing 19 wickets in day three it was not expected. It would have been far-fetched to think that West Indies would have been competitive against England in English conditions.”

Ganga, who praised Jermaine Blackwood for his unbeaten 79 in the first innings, thought West Indies should have included spinner Devendra Bishoo and said the bowlers must keep a consistent line and length. The former West Indies opener said for batsmen to be successful in England, they must apply themselves and be disciplines, rather than counting on talent.

Holder was lambasted in some quarters after bowling coach Roddy Estwick revealed he forgot to take the new ball when it was due during the England innings.

Ganga, now a cricket commentator, said taking the new ball might have helped, but said the outcome would have been the same.