Legendary batter Brian Lara has raised sharp questions over West Indies’ commitment to Test cricket following their heavy defeat to India in the opening Test in Ahmedabad. Speaking at an event in Mumbai on Tuesday, Lara said the team could still “find a way” to rebuild if they truly had “cricket at heart.” “I would like to urge Roston Chase and the other guys to (tell), do they have cricket at heart? Do they really want to play for West Indies? And that is the most important thing, because you would find a way. You would find a way,” Lara said. Lara reflected on how the legendary teams of the past thrived despite limited resources, suggesting that the current generation lacked the same hunger. “We did not have better facilities 30-40 years ago. Viv Richards didn’t bat on any better practice pitches or anything. We had to do the same thing, the same grind, but the passion was different. The passion to play for West Indies was different,” he said, urging the current side to value the opportunity. The West Indies side, led by Roston Chase, is currently touring India for a two-Test series. Their innings defeat inside three days in Ahmedabad reignited debates about the future of red-ball cricket in smaller nations. “When you look at the Big Three — England, Australia and India — and you watch the Ashes or India’s tours to England and Australia, you think there’s no greater day of cricket to watch,” Lara observed. “I hope that Test cricket does not die, but the viability of it in other nations, the smaller nations, the nations with the inability to bring huge crowds or big sponsors, you’re really and truly testing their funds.” Lara, who is part of a Cricket West Indies review panel formed after the team’s lowest-ever total of 27 earlier this year, said the issues run deeper than just one defeat. “The aberration of scoring 27 — nobody wants to do that. But that was not just the issue,” he said. “The issue lies very deep… how we grow the game, the facilities we have to improve, and finding a way for cricketers to be a lot more competitive.”
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He added that franchise cricket continues to weaken West Indies’ strength, but the board “has to find a way” to keep players committed to the longer format. Lara also praised India opener Abhishek Sharma, recalling his time with him in the Sunrisers Hyderabad setup. “He’s something very special… an amazing thing is that even with all his T20 success, he still wants to find a way to get into the Test team, which is great for someone like that to think that big,” Lara said.
