BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC-Former West Indies opening batsman Desmond Haynes has compared the captaincy of T20 superstar Keiron Pollard to successful Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
Haynes, a cricket legend and head coach of the Barbados Tridents, one of six teams participating in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), has described Pollard as a mature leader who is calm in tough situations.
“I was one of the men who supported the idea of Pollard being Barbados Tridents captain,” said Haynes.
“I have seen him before during my short stints with the West Indies cricket team and I always thought that this was one guy who understands the game of cricket”.
Pollard was the centre of protest action by two people who picketed the Kensington Oval before the start of the CPL. Also, sections of the Barbados population were clamouring for Dwayne Smith to lead the team as he was Barbadian as opposed to Pollard, a Trinidadian.
“Now that he is captain of the Barbados Tridents and we are working closely together I have gotten even more respect for him. Pollard reminds me a lot of Indian captain Dhoni,” said the former prolific opener for the regional side.
“I know that it is a big comparison but I know what I am saying. He is a leader on and off the field and is leading by example for his team to follow. His reading of the game and his calmness in tough situations reminds we of Dhoni.” The Tridents have won all three matches to date and are close to securing a semifinal spot in the tournament. Pollard has come in for high praise as well for leading his troops against Red Steel in their last game.
“I looked at the way he handled the bowlers and it was brilliant. In our second game he did not even bowl Shannon Gabriel but bowled Dwayne Smith who was not in our plan to bowl,” said Haynes.
“In the Red Steel game he bowls Gabriel who did very well and also used Shakib Al Hasan who grabbed a world record. I am very happy with Pollard’s leadership of this team.”
