BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – The West Indies Cricket Board on Thursday labeled former captain Ramnaresh Sarwan’s attitude towards fitness as “extremely indifferent” as they launched a staunch defence of their decision not to award him a central retainer contract.
Sarwan, a veteran of 83 Tests, was one of six players dumped from the Board’s 14-man list of contracted players, with first choice wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin, strike bowler Jerome Taylor, Guyanese batsmen Narsingh Deonarine and Travis Dowlin, and all-rounder Dave Bernard, also axed.
In a release on Thursday, the WICB explained that fitness was the major reason behind their decision not to offer Sarwan, Taylor or Deonarine new retainer contracts, while also criticizing Taylor’s “lack of commitment to his own rehabilitation” and knocking Deonarine’s “regrettably unacceptable” physical conditioning.
Sarwan, however, is the biggest name to be dumped from the retainer contract list as he is one of only three players on the current West Indies team to have played more than 80 Tests.
The 30-year-old right-hander, who averages 41 in Tests, has been repeatedly bothered by injury throughout his career and has not played a Test since last December after picking up a back niggle.
Sarwan’s injury problems, the WICB contended, were as a result of his attitude to fitness.
“The team management, selection committee and the WICB are concerned about Mr. Sarwan’s extremely indifferent attitude and sporadic approach towards fitness, particularly in recent years,” the release said.
“It is the considered view of the selection committee, following consultations with the specialists in the team management, that Ramnaresh’s less than satisfactory and fluctuating fitness levels have directly contributed to multiple injuries thereby causing him to be unavailable for selection to the West Indies team.”
Following the tour of Australia where Sarwan missed the first of three Tests with injury, the Board said they wrote to the player expressing concern over his “consistently low levels of fitness”.
Despite this, the WICB indicated that Sarwan’s fitness still remained below the acceptable levels.
“The WICB is hopeful that Ramnaresh uses this as motivation to significantly improve his overall fitness in an effort to assist in avoiding injury so that he can increase his availability to the West Indies team,” the Board release said.
Taylor, meanwhile, has also struggled with fitness and has not played a Test since limping out the first one against Australia in Brisbane last November.
An attempted comeback this year saw him play three matches in the World Twenty20 Championships along with two T20s and four One-Day Internationals against South Africa before falling injured again.
“The WICB is disappointed with Mr. Taylor’s lack of commitment to his own rehabilitation following injuries sustained in Australia in 2009 and in the ICC World Twenty20 2010,” the Board release noted.
“Jerome, despite being under retainer contract, has not shown the expected attendance and commitment to pursue the required assessment and consequent rehabilitative programmes that would be required.
“There has not been a demonstrated commitment to achieve that level of fitness and ensure that he can perform consistently at the highest level.”
Deonarine, too, fell short of the fitness standards despite averaging 37 in Tests since his return to the international arena following a four-year break.
“His results are below par in the majority of fitness tests conducted by the team management specialists,” the release said.
“Narsingh, despite numerous opportunities, continues to show gross disregard for his fitness. Team management has pleaded with, beseeched and cajoled Narsingh to improve his overall fitness but to no avail.”
The WICB said they would continue to view player fitness and physical preparation as key in the awarding of retainer contracts.
