Latest update February 6th, 2025 7:27 AM
‘It was a tough decision to exclude Sarwan’ – Coach Gibson
A fit looking Sarwan batting for Guyana this week in Jamaica.
West Indies Coach Otis Gibson yesterday explained that the decision to leave out experienced Guyanese middle order batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan from the touring party for the three-Test series which starts on November 15 with the first Test match was a tough one.
The Barbadian, who was on the English coaching Staff for two years until he took over the job for the West Indies team this year, disclosed that Sarwan’s non-selection was based mainly on the new fitness policy of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) as West Indies cricket enter a new phase.
An outstanding performer at the English county level late into his 30s, Gibson said he was consulted on the decision to leave Sarwan.
The classy right-hander who made his test debut against Pakistan in Barbados 10 years ago, averages over 40 in all forms of the game (Tests, ODIs, List ‘A’ & FC) except T20s.
Sarwan, arguably the best batsmen against spin in the region, had an outstanding series when West Indies last played Sri Lanka in 2008 when he scored a century and 3 fifties in the two-Test home series.
Sarwan also averaged 53 with 318 runs when only Brian Lara (Ave. 114.66 with 3 tons and in 688 runs) and Carl Hooper (Ave 27.83 with 167 runs) averaged higher than 18 from the three Tests in 2001 as Chiminda Vass (26) and Muttiah Muralitharan (24) destroyed the West Indians.
The 30-year-old Sarwan was not given a Central Contract and WICB claims that this was due to his patchy fitness record despite his wonderful performances on the field last year scoring 762 runs from 10 innings against England including 4 centuries.
Gibson said the decision not to pick Sarwan was a tough one since his batting ability cannot be questioned.
“Sarwan’s name caused the most deliberation but in the end it was felt that it was not in the team’s or his best interest to continue to take him on tour and not get the best out of him due to injury,” Gibson revealed.
Sarwan Captained Guyana in the present regional One-Day competition and captured the Man-of-the-Match award in the opening round but Gibson said that it was his fitness and not talent that was the issue.
“It’s an issue of player’s availability. Players like Sarwan, (Ryan) Hinds and even Jerome Taylor have played in the past with injury problems and were not able to contribute to the level required.
Players now have to be fully fit so that they can always be ready and available,” Gibson said.
Gibson said that this is not the end of Sarwan since he is a huge talent adding that the right-hander needs to now work on getting fitter since there is lots of cricket ahead for the West Indies including the World Cup in Asia.
There is no regional cricket for the remainder of the year and the selectors will only have the 2011 Caribbean T20 competition in January to see players in action before they select the World Cup squad. When asked how the WICB will determined if Sarwan is ready for International duty next February, Gibson said that Sarwan was already given a fitness programme to work with.
“I believe Mister (Clyde) Butts had a talk with Sarwan informing him of what we are looking for and I think he will be given another fitness programme to work with and as long as he is playing at the regional level he, like all of the other players are eligible for selection pending form and fitness,” Gibson disclosed.
The West Indies Coach opined that Sarwan has not properly followed the fitness programme and stressed that all players will have to get on board the new fitness policy if they want to be picked since the team is not winning with the present systems that were in place.
When asked if he had wanted Sarwan in the team because of his ability against spin and his record (7matches, 749 runs, HS 102, Ave. 57.61, 100s-1, 50s-7) against Sri Lanka, new Skipper Darren Sammy said that he trusted the Selector’s judgment but would welcome him back into the team once he is selected again.
“I have known Sarwan for a while and I know his character and have full confidence that he will be back, maybe even better than before.
He has bounced back from a few injuries and once fully fit and in form he would be an asset in any batting line-up,” Sammy told the media yesterday.
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