Australia (Commonwealth) _ West Indies white-ball coach Daren Sammy thinks a new generation of Caribbean cricketers may draw inspiration from the historic shock of Australia at the Gabba.
When Josh Hazlewood was bowled over by Shamar Joseph to give the Windies their first Test victory in Australia since 1997, Sammy let out a fervent cheer. The 40-year-old posted a video of himself celebrating on Instagram after the visitors pulled off what is perhaps the biggest Test upset in history.
“Are you not amused? — January 28, 2024, Daren Sammy (@darensammy88)
But as the West Indies are ready to play Australia in an ODI series that begins at the MCG on Friday, Sammy has seized command of the team.
The two-time T20 World Cup champion skipper stated on Thursday, “You saw the feelings on Carl Hooper’s face, you saw it on Brian Lara.” I’ve never watched better cricket in the West Indies than what I saw during that Test match. In my first series, Brian Lara and I won the Champions Trophy, although that’s quite high in Test cricket. I always have a smile on my face when you go back to it. I simply hope that my men will always remember that there is always gold at the end of the rainbow if they persevere through difficulties.
After sustaining a severe toe injury at the Gabba, Joseph—the hero of the thrilling Test victory—has gone home. The West Indies team will be led by Daren Sammy as they get ready to play Australia in an ODI series. The 24-year-old was not even originally picked in Sammy’s white-ball selections to face Australia; he only made his debut for his country in the first Test of the series in Adelaide.
Sammy stated that Joseph would undoubtedly be a player in all formats. I’m eager to join the group and get my hands on him. However, Sammy advised patience with the explosive talent, who won the match on his own with a memorable spell of 7-68 in the second innings.
He said, “The guy is injured.” Allow him to relax at home. Given that he has a small family, this is most likely the first time he has spent so much time away from home. It’s crucial that he go home to his family and cherishes this time because, quite often, wins like that don’t happen. He clarified that by savoring these experiences, he keeps you inspired to enjoy more of them. Shai Hope, the captain of the West Indies ODI team, stated that the performance of the Windies Test team in the just finished series against Australia served as inspiration for his side.
Best win ever
Australia was defeated by 8 runs in the second innings of the West Indies’ match, which was even at 1-1 thanks to Shamar Joseph’s 7 for 68. For 27 years, the victory marked the first for a West Indies Test squad playing in Australia. Their performance in the most recent Test was really motivating, and it gives us a lot of momentum. Ahead of the first ODI on Wednesday in Melbourne, Hope told the media that it’s a different format but a positive omen for us.
Although we have just watched the footage on social media, I’m not sure how things are at home. The Windies captain continued, “We just want to keep doing that here in the white ball games.” Hope stated that his squad is prepared for their series against Australia, having overcome their jet lag. The Windies ODI skipper addressed the West Indies playing philosophy, saying that the players and team management take every game seriously.
In the locker room, we constantly repeat that each game counts. It’s not always about the opponent or the series. We view every match as a championship match, and it’s encouraging to see the boys adjusting to the new structure and our approach to playing cricket. He stated that it’s only one game at a time and that the outcome would work itself out.
The West Indies white-ball team had a few players who had played in less than ten One-Day Internationals. Hope stated that the 2027 World Cup is a factor in the ODI team’s rebuilding process.
I believe expanding and deepening that pool is fantastic. For some of the boys, what better way to launch your career than right here? Although four years may seem like a long time, they aren’t when it comes time to choose a strong squad, the number of games these men can play throughout that period will broaden the field and cause us headaches. By then, he added, they will have gained a great deal of experience as well.
‘Worry’ over Disqualifying World Cup 2023
Hope also talked about how disappointed he is that the West Indies did not make it to the 2023 Cricket World Cup, which Australia won. It upset us a lot to be on the international scene, one of the best cricket teams for a long time, and then miss out on one of the greatest competitions in our sport. It goes without saying that we are aware of the broad support for West Indies cricket. The West Indies ODI skipper stated, “It was something that we felt, but we are preparing for the next World Cup.”
Hope said that one of his favorite destinations is Australia, where he always feels accepted. On behalf of my teammates, let me say that in the few days that we have been here, we have been completely welcomed. He added that the success of West Indies cricket was welcomed by everybody.
The West Indies’ ODI series against Australia begins in Melbourne on February 2 and continues to Sydney on February 4 and Canberra on February 6.
