Dear Editor,
I fully agree with your sportswriter that the non-selection of Leon Johnson does not add up – just like the previous non-selection of Veerasammy Permaul.
When Kraigg Braithwaithe, now being appointed WI Captain, made that double century in the warm-up match before the Tests in New Zealand, I wondered if they tactically bowled him easy. His subsequent scores in the Tests strengthened my suspicion.
What bothers me also is whether the WI coach and staff are analyzing their opponents the way I think the top teams are doing. I am sure those teams analyzed all the talent on the WI team. Take Shimron Hetmyer for example. He is at least as talented as Kane Williamson. But is he being analyzed by our coaches the way the coaches in the top teams analyze their own and opposing players with respect to bowlers?
There are artificial intelligence algorithms that can learn the habits of any player, and show up unsuspected tendencies. Enough video footage is around for it. Bowlers then work out strategies to take advantage of these tendencies. Why do you think the dressing room is now being allowed to communicate to the England Captain on the field? Is Coach Harper and Cricket WI even aware of these developments?
Skill and resolve count for much, and they show up in the shorter versions of cricket, but the top teams have that and their computer artificial intelligence working for them today in the battle of attrition that is test cricket. We must also have the opportunity to savvy out the opposition in the relentless grind of test cricket when they relax their resolve.
Yours faithfully,
Alfred Bhulai