After Sunil Narine produced one of the best playoff performances in the eliminator against RCB to take the KKR into the second qualifier against DC, many wondered if he will recieve a T20 World Cup call-up. West Indies skipper Kieron Pollard has confirmed that the KKR superstar will not be added to the team.
Narine, who has not played at the international stage for more than two years, for a host of reasons, did not make it to the West Indies T20 World Cup squad, which was announced in September. Chief selector Roger Harper felt that he would be “a great miss for the team”, but was rigid about the fitness criteria West Indies had maintained for their players.
Refusing to give his personal opinion on the matter, captain Pollard made it clear that there would not be any changes to the 15-man squad, barring injury or illness:
“I have no comments on that. Enough has been said on that. I think persons have explained the reason for his non-inclusion at this point in time.
For me personally, I know Sunil Narine as a friend first, before an international cricketer. We grew up playing cricket together. He is a world-class cricketer.”
Pollard felt that the Windies’ existing squad of 15 members is strong enough and that the players should focus on doing well in the tournament and complement each other’s roles.
The veteran all-rounder also spoke about the importance of mental well-being, and hoped that an energised Chris Gayle would return to the squad, after he left the IPL bio-bubble earlier this month.
“Gayle’s recharge was just like those iPhones, when the battery is low and struggling, you want to get some energy into you. In all seriousness, this bubble life is very, very difficult at times.”
He also highlighted the difficulty of the cricketers’ everyday lives, as they moved from one tournament to another, away from their friends and family, as per COVID-19 norms.
Pollard also hoped to have a fit Andre Russell heading into the T20 World Cup, acknowledging that the KKR-man was a valuable player of the squad. He believed that Russell was a game-changer, and a final decision about his availability would be taken after a thorough evaluation.
He then expressed his anticipation for a 100% fit Russell, and backed his incredible ability both as a player, and a character in the dressing room environment.
Defending champions West Indies kick off their T20 World Cup campaign against England on October 23, in Dubai, in the Super 12 stages.
