West Indies T20 captain, Kieron Pollard, has pointed to the fact that the senior players recalled to the team have consistently proven their value with high-level performances, which has not always been the case with younger players who got the opportunity.
The recent recall of veteran players Chris Gayle and Fidel Edwards, who are 41 and 39, respectively, caused consternation in some quarters. Some argue the selection of such senior players may have taken opportunities away from younger players looking to secure places in the World Cup squad.
Pollard, however, insists that several players have been given an opportunity in recent years and have failed to consistently provide what the team has needed. With the reigning World Champions currently ranked at 10th in the ICC rankings and the World Cup just a few months away, Pollard believes it’s time to prioritise winning games.
“Some of the guys have gotten opportunities when we started off in 2019, I believe, and it hasn’t produced the results that we might have wanted on a consistent basis. Guys were still in and out for non-cricketing reasons and stuff like that,” Pollard told members of the media via a Zoom press conference on Tuesday.
“These guys (Gayle and Edwards) continue to perform despite their age and one thing that has been said throughout is that the door is open to each and every individual, once you show that you can perform at the highest level,” he added.
“We need to start winning cricket matches, we need to win series…so we have to strike a balance. We are the defending champions of the T20 World Cup and we have to get into that winning habit. If it’s the case that we have a couple of extra senior guys to start that process, so be it.”