Former captain Daren Sammy did not mince his words when he likened the decline of Test cricket in the West Indies to a 'cancer' in the system that developed over a long period of time.
The two-time T20 World Cup-winning captain believes that role models in the shortest format are readily available to the next generation, and they can only play with the resources available to them.
When asked what ails West Indian cricket when it comes to Tests and how it affects him as a person, the eloquent Sammy put forth his perspective in harsh words.
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“I mean, the last time we won a Test series in 1983, it was given to me by my mother,” he joked about 42 years after failing to win a red-ball series in India.
And then he was dead serious.
“I know I'm under the microscope right now. I'm in the middle of it and we're open to criticism, to being criticized by everyone. But the root of the problem didn't start two years ago. It's something that started a long time ago,” said Sammy, who also captained a lopsided 2013 series.
“It's like a cancer that's already in the system. If you don't get cancer, you know what happens. And again, it's Breast Cancer Awareness Month. So it's a good way to say it. That our problems aren't on the surface. It's deeply ingrained in our system,” Sammy said.
West Indies lost the first Test by an innings and 140 runs, and it was a lack of fight that had disappointed fans of the regional team.
Brian Lara spoke on Tuesday about players who are not particularly keen on playing the long form. “We could only work with what we have and who is willing. The inability to match some franchises around the world has been a problem,” Sammy was honest.
“But what I always tell these guys, when we complain that we don't have the best facilities, we don't have enough manpower like the other teams, we don't have the best technology, all these things that the other teams are superior to us, it's no secret.
“The difference between the different teams, the top 3-4 teams in the world versus the bottom four. We've been struggling with the finances for a long time. That's one of the reasons why Brian (Lara) and Shiv (Chanderpaul) are going to have this event this afternoon. We're trying to see if we can get sponsors to help in some of the areas where we need improvement.”
All Sammy can do is ask a player if he wants to be available.
“Having said that, that hasn't created any loopholes, but for me as a coach when I call a player and tell him he has been selected for the West Indies. And I hope he accepts the selection.”
Sammy also regrets that when the West Indies were the best team in the world, they could not leverage the commercial advantages that India enjoyed when they became a world leader.
“We play five Test matches, four months in one place, and entertain the world, which other boards have benefited from. So now over the years, whether it be due to lack of management, backlash or whatever it is, we need financial resources to help us grow and progress,” Sammy said, speaking about the monetary benefits to be doled out to Test players.
And he believes the West Indies deserve that because of their rich heritage and contribution to the game.
Published on October 8, 2025
