@Arun Chandran Menon - that maybe true, (I'm Ozzy), but Oz cricketers are very well paid for, in terms of cricket & other sports. The fallback position for Ozzy cricketers is far higher than for a lot of other nations. Narine wasn't even considered amongst the best cricketers in the islands, no central contract, but he has nailed a life changing contract in the IPL. One season could/should set him up for life. I think you have to walk a mile in someone elses shoes before you be too critical of them. Gayle is a different kettle of fish, he could do more for the WIndies, but he has also been treated shabbily. The WICB has been run fairly poorly over the last two decades & it shows. As the WIndies is not a stand alone country, loyalties are different to other test playing nations.

Posted by   on (March 27, 2012, 16:41 GMT)

I have a simple perspective on Narine issue, and it helps me a lot. The fact is Narine doesnt care much about playing for W.I as much as Clarke and fellow australians (including T20 blaster Warner) takes pride in wearing baggy green cap, period

To get the big paycheck in IPL u need to be an International "STAR" otherwise u are nbot marketable and no1 cares abt wat they do, thats why Gayle and Narine will be bak in Windies soon.

IMO - Narine won't be as effective in tests anyways, although his brief FC career does suggest otherwise. I would imagine Bishoo is the real danger man although maybe they could form a deadly double act. Right arm offies don't tend to trouble Oz much, not in the last 20 yrs anyways.

Posted by   on (March 26, 2012, 18:47 GMT)

What sense does it make to sign Clark only as a batsman? He will definitely will not be a captain as Ganguly is made out to be an important part of Pune team. Captain and Mentor. No one is going to throw him out of 'this' side. Plus, Clark does not play T20 international for Australia (not sure he plays for any other franchise). So he is definitely not used to this format. Also, they are calling him to play just for a few matches in the end, where an in form batsman who has played a lot during the tournament would be a good option. One more point is that Clark is going to be very expensive. Also, I dont think Clark is someone like Pollard or Gayle who can change the match on their own. I think a better option would be sign someone from the players not picked by anyone so far. I am sure there are many such good hitting batsmen still left out. They can save a lot of money too.

@Rahul_78 Dwayne may have his time only if you are WI. He is only offered a stint in the WI squad to stop him being snapped up by another English county this summer. He would also be available to an IPL franchise otherwise. He has made a lot more money FOR HIMSELF in the last four seasons not being a regular part of the WI set up. It is a great opportunity for him therefore to have one last LOYAL stand then return to the land of the EMANCIPATED cricketer.

In commenting on the IPL/Gayle issue about 8 months ago, i said that the time will come when WIBC would have to make serious decisions to keep its players playing for Windies when the IPL is offering these huge sums. The board HAS to accept that things are not the same as there were before when the players were at the mercy of the board/selectors. The players now have options and it would be in Windies cricket's best interest to 1. change how it operates, 2. stop scheduling international cricket when the IPL is on 3. and move quicker when problems come up instead of letting every situation drag on. All now, Narine should have been approached about a contract and an attractive counter offer. Hasnt the board been watching cricket over the last year and seen how difficult he is for batsmen to play and that we could use him.stupse.

@AussieGreek You can't be serious. You do realize most series involving all full member teams were planned LONG before the IPL was even thought of right (the future tours programme)? And when would you suggest that WI schedule all their matches? Between June and November during the hurricane?rainy season? What I can't understand is why the BCCI doesn't adopt the EPL model for the IPL and simply stretch the IPL out between October and May. That way players can still play in the IPL and international cricket (probably only missing a few international matches as they woul now have far more time betwwen IPL matches which would also reduce the risk of injury) and the IPL can make even more money off fans and advertisers over a longer season (they could probably even double the amount of games easily without causing too many scheduling conflicts with international cricket.

To those who are asking for an IPL window and complaining about the WICB's scheduling, there are two problems: the schedule depends on many factors such as the local weather, local season and the availability of touring teams. WICB couldn't have planned the Australian tour last month because Australia were playing their own ODI series, for example. Similarly, if IPL should get a window, why not also give a window for Big Bash, BPL and any future LOCAL cricket tournament? Why should all countries stop playing their international cricket when that's the MAJOR SOURCE OF INCOME for the boards of these countries which is then invested to create and showcase the NEXT GENERATION OF NARINES? If cricket gets big in USA or China and if they create a tournament which promises more wealth for cricketers than IPL, should BCCI cancel all its international matches to create a window for this tournament and lose income that will be invested in the future stars of India?

To the commenter who may questions the abilities of Gibson and Sammy based on their playing records: you may not like Gibson or Sammy but captaincy and coaching are different skills from having the athletic skills or mental toughness to be a great batsman, bowler or fielder. Ganguly, Atapattu and Dhoni have had superior players playing under them, for example. Wright, Kirsten, Buchanan or Woolmer as players were not in the same class as many of the players they have coached. You can argue Gibson is not a good coach. You can argue that Sammy may not deserve a place in the team as a player. I also wish that Gayle would be able to play for the WI team but the logic you are using against Gibson and Sammy is problematic.