BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Veteran left-hander Shiv Chanderpaul’s illustrious 21-year career appeared all but over after he was dumped from the West Indies Test squad for the upcoming two-Test series against Australia starting next month.
At a hastily arranged media conference here this afternoon, the West Indies chairman of selectors, Clive Lloyd, told journalists that the 40-year-old Chanderpaul had suffered a “rapid” decline in form and as a result, they had decided to look to the future.
This decision, Lloyd said had been communicated to Chanderpaul in a letter.
during a media conference on Sunday, May 24, 2015 at the Accra Beach Hotel.
Photo by WICB Media/Philip Spooner
“Over a period of time, we have noticed a decline in his form and for the last 11 innings he has been averaging 16 and we thought the time had come to look towards the younger players, and that’s why he has been omitted. His decline in form has been quite rapid,” Lloyd explained, while flanked by newly-installed head coach Phil Simmons.
“I just don’t think it is the last couple of games [that he has failed], this is going way back. I watched the games against India, South Africa and he hasn’t done as well as we expected.”
Lloyd continued: “I don’t think there was any bitterness [over the decision]. I think he’d realised the time is come. At 40 years old, it’s obvious you’re not going to be in the same shape as you were in 20 years ago. And if you’ve seen him play, you’d notice there was a decline, there’s no doubt about that.
“People find it very difficult at time to retire … so we thought here it is, we must now make a decision, we’ve made a decision and we’re looking towards the younger people that we have. We have a lot of good young cricketers and we think it is time that we now inject the youth into our cricket.”
The announcement put to rest several days of wild speculation over Chanderpaul’s future, with media reports indicating that the player had been dropped and then re-instated following pressure from the West Indies Cricket Board.
And while WICB senior communications officer, Adriel Richard, on Sunday refuted suggestions the selection panel had come under pressure from the Board to reverse their decision, Lloyd admitted they had been “discussions” with the board over Chanderpaul’s exclusion.
However, he said the selection panel had been already convinced the decision do away with Chanderpaul was the best one in the overall interest of the squad, and this had been explained to the Board.
“There were discussions [with the board] but the point is we’d already made up our minds about what we wanted to do and they were probably thinking that players were not given this pomp and ceremony as they should but we thought that we’ve chosen the team, this is it, and it is up to them now to do that bit they’re supposed to,” the legendary former player and captain pointed out.
“The point is that we have a job to do, we have to look after West Indies cricket, that comes first, and the point is that Chanderpaul whenever he retires will be given the accolades that he should receive, and I think it is only fitting that we should do so.
“The guy has been a great servant to our cricket and when that time comes, I think he should be given that sort of a send-off that is expected of a player of his calibre.”
Chanderpaul has played 164 Tests – the most by a West Indies player – and has amassed 11 867 at an average of 51. He is 86 runs short of overtaking Brian Lara (11 953) as the all-time run-getter in West Indies cricket.
A heavy scorer throughout a sterling career, Chanderpaul has struggled in the last two series, managing 91 in three Tests against South Africa and 92 in a similar series against England.
Last September, however, he plundered 270 runs – including his 30th Test hundred – in two Tests against Bangladesh without being dismissed and averaged 48 last June when New Zealand visited the Caribbean for three Tests.
When West Indies were hammered 2-0 on the tour of New Zealand in late 2013, Chanderpaul was one of the few bright spots with an average of 64.
Meanwhile, there are no surprises in the 12-man squad announced for the training squad which bowls off Monday at the Franklyn Stephenson Academy.
West Indies face Australia in the first Test starting June 3 at Windsor Park in Dominica before clash in the second Test at Sabina Park in Jamaica, beginning June 11.
SQUAD – Denesh Ramdin, Devendra Bishoo, Jermaine Blackwood, Kraigg Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Shannon Gabriel, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Veerasammy Permaul, Denesh Ramdin, Kemar Roach, Marlon Samuels, Jerome Taylor.
