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Hooper blasts coaching shake-up; holds Sammy accountable after Windies’ 27-run debacle
Former West Indies captain Carl Hooper
SportsMax – Former West Indies captain Carl Hooper has lashed out at the wholesale changes that saw Daren Sammy appointed as Test head coach, as he argued that the Caribbean side was making steady progress under former coach Andre Coley before the abrupt shift derailed their development.
Hooper’s scathing assessment came in the aftermath of West Indies’ humiliating 176-run defeat to Australia in the third and final Test at Sabina Park, where the hosts were dismissed for just 27 runs—the second-lowest total in Test history and the lowest ever by a West Indies team.
Set a modest target of 204, the Windies collapsed in dramatic fashion under the lights in the historic day/night pink-ball encounter, as they succumbed to the swing of Mitchell Starc, who took six wickets for nine runs, and the seam of Scott Boland, who snared a hat trick of wickets for just two runs. The innings included seven ducks, which also represents a new Test match record that has left the cricketing world stunned.
“It’s been so disappointing. I’m angry and upset because I think we were building something good a few years ago. The boys came out here (to Australia) and had a fantastic Test win in Brisbane, drew the series, and then went to Pakistan and drew 1-1. Those were fantastic results, and then we had wholesale changes. To see this as the end result, it’s like what we were building for the past two or three years has just gone up in flames,” Hooper said on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s post-match discussion.
Under Coley, the West Indies had shown resilience, notably bouncing back from heavy defeats to level both the Australia and Pakistan series earlier in the year. But following Sammy’s appointment in April as Test coach—adding to his existing ODI and T20 roles—Hooper believes too much control was placed in one man’s hands.
“Somebody needs to be answerable. He [Sammy] is also the only selector. So just imagine someone picking the Australian team and also coaching it. He’s got all the power, so he has to be held accountable. I know that’s not going to happen; they’re not going to remove him,” Hooper argued.
Hooper, who represented the West Indies in over 300 international matches, said the Test team’s promising direction under Coley was abruptly halted and is now facing a steep climb to regain lost ground.
“You take one step forward and now two steps back,” he lamented.
“Where do you go from here? We’ve got India coming in a couple of months for a two-Test series, and that is going to be tough. Then we have New Zealand. It’s not like we’re getting an easier opponent to rebuild against. So you just have to pick yourself up and try to get it right for India,” Hooper added.
Prior to the India Test, West Indies will engage Australia in five T20Is, after which they will play Pakistan in three T20Is and three ODIs. Another three-match T20I series against Nepal will follow before the first India Test bowls off on October 6.
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