Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
West Indies head coach Darren Sammy is hoping his team can end a 24-year wait when they take on India in a three-match ODI series, beginning in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday.
West Indies last won an ODI series in India in 2002, when Carl Hooper was captain and their batting line-up featured Chris Gayle, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Marlon Samuels. Sammy now wants his team to end that long wait against Shubman Gill’s India.
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“It’s been 24 years, we’ve not won a series here in India,” Sammy said ahead of the first ODI on Sunday.
“It’s a great opportunity for us as a team to come out here and challenge ourselves and measure up ourselves as to where we are in ODIs. It’s a great opportunity for us, the players that we have, to come and put in a good show against India and look to win a series, something we’ve not done in 24 years,” the two-time T20 World Cup-winning former captain added.
West Indies are currently ranked 10th in ODIs, but Sammy believes the team has made progress in recent years.
“If we have to look back as to where we were and what we’ve been able to achieve as an ODI team, we’ve made some strides,” he said.
Shai Hope remains the most experienced batter in the current West Indies squad, with 19 ODI centuries, but Sammy feels the team has several players capable of making an impact against the top-ranked side.
“Shai Hope is not the only one scoring hundreds. We’ve gotten hundreds from different players. Amir Jangoo, the way he’s played, we’ve seen a glimpse of Sherfane (Rutherford). I think in 2024-2025, we were looking for that type of form,” Sammy said.
West Indies will also rely on Alzarri Joseph, who heads into the series after helping Antigua win the Caribbean Premier League title.
“Alzarri Joseph is back bowling well, just helped Antigua win a CPL title. So yes, we want to give everybody an opportunity in those three games,” Sammy said.
Sammy is also backing 19-year-old wrist-spinner Vitel Lawes to make an impact. Lawes made his ODI debut against New Zealand a few months ago and has impressed the coaching staff since breaking into the side.
“Vitel, to me, he’s a find for us. What we saw in him that caused him to debut against New Zealand was all part of the planning and the processes we put in place. You’ve heard me for years talking about a wrist-spinner in the West Indies team,” Sammy said.
“He came in and he immediately had an impact on the bowling unit for us. Still got a long way to go but we will continue with his development through either playing games or the specific work we’ve put in place for him. He’s worked really well with Nikita Miller (spin bowling coach) and Ravi Rampaul here on tour.”
West Indies will look to their experienced players and emerging talents as they try to end their long wait for an ODI series victory in India.
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
