West Indies players from the 1970s suffered from amateur leadership by its disrespectful & short sighted administrators.

Our top players were poorly paid despite being the best & drawing huge crowds at test matches & (don't forget) warm up games overseas.

The administrators were complacent for decades over player succession planning, player development/rest & recuperation.


At times then WI didn't play enough international/regional matches each year to keep promising players active. Sometimes our international/regional calendar ended as early as April after a home test series.

In the late 70s I felt the West Indies should have broken up into 6 International teams as the depth of talent at junior and club levels across the region was insane.

You mention that (test) Barbados team of the 1970s. Not to mention Franklyn Stevenson, Moseley, Padmore.

Here in Jamaica then we had a club team called Kensington that included: Rowe, Richard Austin, Herbert Chang, Basil Williams and Desmond Lewis . Yet they weren't even in the top 2 teams in that league.

So a lot of good talent just gave up due to lack of opportunities and emigrated to North America incl. Basil Williams.

In the early 1980s some of us would tell you that the best bastman in the West Indies was Antiguan Ralston Otto but just didn't get his chance in the test arena.

Our established test batsmen then we're undroppable even when their regional form was poor.

A teenage batsman such as Mark Neita took on Andy Roberts but had zero chance of West Indian cricket and went into business.

Tony Gray was just unlucky to be around when Ambrose, Walsh, Bishop etc were playing.

There was that time Lara suggested fitness coach Dennis Waite go easy on the training as some players complained it was too hard.

That's when things started to dropped off big time.

One scenario that showed up the player's lack of commitment in the 2000s was when Gayle captained the WI team to England but wanted time off during the tour to play in a white ball tournament.

By breaking up into 6 teams the respective governments would be forced invest more in cricket in their country or just sink.

Some countries such as Jamaica has a dismal record at investing in serious cricket. The women's game is nonexistent there.

When Ashwin last toured the West Indies he was shocked by the poor standard of cricketing facilities.

Back in the day WI was united by identity and anticolonialsm that created a passion to do well.

Subsequent generations think differently and representing their nation seems to be a burden than a honour.

Today, kids tend to play cricket mostly at school. Back in the 1970s cricket was played on roads and the numerous open land spaces.

Now, working and middle class families reside in purpose built major housing developments where access to play outdoor sports is nonexistent due to lack of enough play areas.

By the 2010s our cricketing leaders fell into the trap of developing so called specialists white ball players when the top players in other national teams are equally proficient in white and red ball formats.


Today our batsmen are well paid -some benchwarmers at IPL -  but still cannot do the fundamentals like manipulating the fields for quick singles. They have the same batting flaws throughout their career and never seem to improve. E.g. Rovman Powell versus spin. Chase & Braithwaite vs extreme pace.

I commend you for this great and accurate discussion. I am a West Indian living in Canada that remembers the greatness of the past team.
It is refreshing to listen to such dialogue that emanates from outside the region.
There is talent in the islands though but the lack of opportunity to play proper cricket at a higher level regularly, is a sad reality that we have to accept.
Roger

Cyrus, seriously, stop interrupting your guests to show off your knowledge and passion. Please!!

but i am pleasantly surprised at the nostalgic knowledge that Cyrus has about the game...i never expected that

Great discussion! One point they didnt cover and which caused the sudden decline of WI cricket in the 1990s was bowling restrictions ICC introduced in the late 80s to stop the WI Juggernaut. While Courtney and Curtly Ambrose tried their best to take 20 wickets needed to win a test, they didn't have backup fast bowlers who could bowl lethal while complying with the new regulations. Once the team stops winning, it loses public support, there are internal splits and all other factors that Cyrus and Shishir duscussed came into play.

Lara is my all-time fav during school days...153 not out was the biggest innings I have seen that time

Hooper- that hat, always cool and calm, spitting while bowling , that drive OMG

30:18
It was the Waugh brothers who had that partnership at Sabina Park but it was Taylor's team

Another podcast leaving half way cause Cyrus won't let him speak 🤦‍♂️ why in a hurry kidhar jaana bhai

Welldone Cyrus, I think the young Indian audience needs to see more of these talk shows or interviews , people have forgotten about those awesome indian players.

Heartbreaking and very sad to watch West indies play sometimes but against New Zealand to score 138 all out i was furious about how badly they crumbled

The cricket stories are amazing Cyrus....kudos!!!

Sardesai had said "hey kaay ghantyache fast bowler". Sunny Gavaskar had narrated this story at different events.

Dashing opener shishir 😊

It was Kenny Benjamin (not Winston Benjamin) and Carl Hooper in 1985 playing for Melbourne Crusaders

Well said, Amen 🙏

As a West Indian I found this superb, anyone who can remember Uton Dowe is a legend. To be honest the recall of West Indies players through the generations was inpressive!

good analysis of WI cricket

Many years ago I watched an exhibition cricket match where Usain Bolt (he was at his peak then) was bowling for one side. He had a classical action, was really really quick and almost unplayable. All that was running through my mind at that time was track and field’s gain is a massive loss for cricket.

Please get Mr. Shishir Hattangadi again with Topic on Mumbai cricket