Brian Lara. (Photo Source: Twitter)
West Indies cricket legend Brian Lara has painted a stark portrait of Test cricket’s struggles in his homeland. Lara attributed this challenge to the rapid ascent of T20 franchise leagues, he asserted that their magnetic appeal is luring budding talents away from the revered domain of Test cricket. In response, he doesn’t advocate for a mere financial showdown with rival leagues. Instead, he underscored the imperative to rekindle the dwindling flame of national pride.
Lara advocated for a cultural overhaul, commencing at grassroots levels. He urged the inculcation of values like national pride and cricketing heritage in young players, which would prepare them for the professional stage. The cricket maestro insisted that a deeper understanding of donning the West Indies jersey is crucial for sustaining the legacy of Test cricket.
“I mean, we’ve got to face the facts. The franchise cricket that is being played around the world, it is very difficult for the West Cricket Board to compete with such lucrative opportunities that our cricketers have. I think we’ve got to, first of all, try to hold on to the young ones, the teenagers. We need to get them to understand what West Indies cricket means and how we can protect it,” Lara told SEN Sportsday.
Australia, England develop loyalty to the sport: Brian Lara
Lara, pointed to Australia and England as paradigms of cultivating steadfast loyalty in players. He drew sharp contrast with young West Indian cricketers, at times disillusioned, who favour franchise contracts over national duty. Acknowledging the challenge of altering the current mindset, the southapaw shifted focus to the future, envisioning a landscape where allegiance to the West Indies jersey prevails.
“That’s what Australia has done. Australia don’t just pay their cricketers more or England pays their cricketers more … they develop that sort of loyalty to the sport in their country and that’s what we have not done. For an 18-or-19-year-old to say, ‘I’m heading to the IPL’, or, ‘I don’t care about West Indies cricket’. It’s not just his fault. I just think that we have not sold what West Indies cricket means to us as Caribbean people and why you should be playing for the West Indies. That’s the first thing we need to do,” he added.