Sammy’s resignation was not surprising

Editor: Hours after Darren Sammy was removed as captain of the West Indies Test team, he announced his resignation from Test cricket. This is not surprising, because, in my view, Sammy was in the Test squad because he was captain and he knew if he was no longer at the helm, there was no place for him in the team.{{more}}

The St Lucian played 38 Test matches for the West Indies and scored only 1,123 runs at an average of 21.69. He captained the Test team for 30 Tests. He took 84 wickets at an average of 35.86. He started his regional career in 2002 playing for Windward Islands against Barbados.

He was the first St Lucian to play Test cricket and it was while Julian Hunte, a St Lucian, was president of the West Indies Cricket Board.

Fans were calling for his omission from the squad for years since it was felt that he was not leading by example from his records. A batsman should have an average at least over 45 runs per innings, but he was way below… a mere 21.69 and his bowling was also not up to test standard.

He has been replaced by Trinidadian Denesh Ramdin, the second wicketkeeper to lead the West Indies team, the first being Jamaican Gerry Alexander. Ridley Jacobs, the Antiguan wicketkeeper, led on a few occasions following the illness of the regular captain.

Sammy will, however, remain captain of the T20 team for the West Indies, while Darren Bravo will lead the One Day International squad. This means that the Caribbean team will have three captains – one for each version of the game.

Oscar Ramjeet