Following yesterday’s announcement by the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) that Shivnarine Chanderpaul will join the Guyana Jaguars as the assistant head coach to Rayon Griffith, the latter has described the move as “ideal.”
“He will definitely be assisting the batters…” Griffith said in his initial reaction to his former teammate joining the group.
“He has been around this set up for many years during the team’s success and I think it is best for a man like him to be around this set up,” he added.
“The players are already accustomed to Shivnarine Chanderpaul so we will be welcoming him to the Jaguars set up as the assistant.”
Chanderpaul, who has been in and around the team during the last four years, has indeed been of great assistance to the team, particularly to the batters.
While the legendary left hander’s resume does not boast of too many high-profile coaching gigs, if any at all, he will undoubtedly draw from his years of international experience to add value to Jaguars’ winning culture.
The move by the GCB is seen as especially refreshing since it seems that the board will be willing to involve past West Indian cricketers into the Caribbean’s coaching structure.
The spotlight, however, will be brightly fixed on the man who has over two decades of international experience.
His transition from being managed to managing players and their personalities will be the first of his many battles.
Chanderpaul, who holds an England and Wales coaching Certificate, got the nod on the weight of the commitment he has shown to Guyana’s cricket.
Griffith, sharing his thoughts on the elevation of Esuan Crandon (now the assistant head coach on the West Indies team) and whose selection created the opening for Chanderpaul, hailed the efforts of the former head coach.
“We bowled and played together, and then we did some coaching together. Playing together, we have done well as a pair and coming here as a coaching unit we did excellent for this country,” Griffith said of his of working relationship with Crandon.
