Saint Lucia’s national sporting hero, Daren Sammy, officially takes over the reins as coach of the West Indies senior men’s Test team on Tuesday, April 1. Far from a joke, the leadership team at Cricket West Indies (CWI) is hopeful that the former all-format captain will be able to build on the success he has had over the better part of two years as white-ball coach. His opening ball, at least to those watching from the outside, appeared to be a bit of a bouncer.
On Monday, CWI held its quarterly press conference, with two significant and unexpected personnel changes announced for the regional men’s teams. Kraigg Brathwaite has stepped down as Test captain, and Shai Hope has been appointed captain of the T20 team, adding to his responsibilities as leader of the One Day International setup.
Having led the West Indies to two World T20 titles as captain in 2012 and 2016, Sammy spoke on the changes to the leadership of the white-ball squad, repeating his assertion that the West Indies “want to be a championship team.”
He praised wicketkeeper-batsman Shai Hope for helping develop a culture within the ODI team that he thinks will translate well to the T20 team, whilst thanking outgoing captain Rovman Powell for his stint.
“Miles announced that Shai Hope would be captain of the T20 team. To some of us on the outside, it might be surprising. But to those of us on the inside of the cricket arena, the team, it’s not something we just came up with and just threw at the public,” Sammy revealed. “We at the management and coaching level of the West Indies, we are quite meticulous in how we go about doing things.
“It’s important to note that we have had conversations with Rovman, just before the [2024] World Cup, just after the World Cup, and leading to this point, on some of the things that we want to achieve as a team. I would like to commend Rovman. I started my coaching journey with West Indies cricket the same time he started as captain, with Shai. And what we’ve been able to achieve as a T20 team under his leadership has been somewhat exciting and very productive.
“However, in a world that’s ever-changing in terms of how you can improve, I’ve spoken about us becoming a championship team and not more or less, a series-winning team. And I strongly believe in that. We have what it takes to win World Cups. We’ve done it before. However, you heard the CEO [Chris Dehring] speak about the processes and how you get to that point. And for me and my staff, from a leadership standpoint, it’s important for us to understand who and what will take us there.
And at this moment, after conversations that we have had, with what Shai Hope has done, and the culture that we have been able to build in the ODI format, and how I’ve seen him improve and mature as a leader… For this next juncture in our white-ball team, I think it’s a decision that will bring stability, continuity in the way we do things and the way we want to play, and Shai Hope is the person we have earmarked to do that.
Sammy conceded that the World Test Championship, the next cycle of which begins in June, will be a tough one. His debut series as Test coach will see his charges facing off against a powerhouse Australia team at home in June.
Brathwaite and Hope are both in Saint Lucia this week. Both are part of the Barbados Pride squad that will play the Windward Islands Volcanoes in the CWI Championship from Wednesday at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground.
