ST JOHN’s, Antigua, CMC – Former West Indies fast bowler Kenneth Benjamin has cautioned that it may be some time before speedster Alzarri Joseph is back at his best.
The 21-year-old Joseph made his return to the regional outfit in the ongoing Bangladesh series after a long layoff due to a stress fracture.
Joseph recently completed rehabilitation work with a team appointed by Cricket West Indies and his bowling action had to be somewhat altered during the process
He has proved expensive so far with the ball during the Windies’ last two ODIs against Bangladesh in Guyana.
In the first ODI which the Windies lost by 48 runs his 10 overs cost 57 runs, while he bowled six overs for 55 runs in Wednesday’s three-wicket victory
However, Benjamin, who played 26 Tests and 26 ODIs for the West Indies, said Joseph’s return to full fitness could be a long and tedious adjustment period.
“I was looking for his form in terms of the way he was landing and so on. I think the coaches and the trainers need to continue to let Alzarri know that right now they are not looking at his performances. It can’t be. This guy is coming back from a stress fracture and there were some adjustments made in the way he landed and so forth, and some strengthening programmes so this is like he is just starting over,” Benjamin said.
“It is very important that the coaches and the trainers let him understand that they are not judging him on the stats. It can’t be that because you have to make sure that what he is doing is what you want him to do in terms of his footing and in terms of his form and so on and he [Alzarri] has to have that in the back of his mind that he wants to do this.
“It’s going to take some time for him to be fully confident doing that and focusing on where he lands the ball and so forth, but at the moment, I think Alzarri is just focusing on getting the mechanics right and I think that is what he has to do,” the former player added.
