Gayle wrong man for the job

by PHILIP HACKETT

THE ANNOUNCEMENT that Chris Gayle has again been appointed West Indies captain has put an end to weeks of speculation and has possibly offered some insight into the manner in which the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) will conduct its affairs after months of conflict with the region's leading players.

The WICB adopted an uncharacteristic tough stance amidst the chaos created by the first choice players withdrawing their services as part of industrial action undertaken by their representative body, West Indies Players' Association (WIPA).

The use of replacement players for the Test series against Bangladesh was initially seen as a desperate move designed to save West Indies cricket from irreparable damage.

As negotiations continued with the intervention of regional politicians and personalities, a door was opened for the return of the original players.

The WICB stood firm, remaining loyal to the players who had bailed them out as far as the ICC Champions Trophy. It was a bold move made in the face of immense criticism and pressure from within and from outside the region.

The boldness of the WICB seemed to be providing a hint that our regional administrators had had enough of the inept attitude of our regional players and had at last reached a stage where they were prepared to put principle above the desire for immediate success.

The horrendous performance of Floyd Reifer with the bat closed the door to him as a continued option even in the short term, but the reappointment of Gayle seems to suggest business as usual.

Gayle's appointment is somewhat balanced by the announcement of Joel Garner as team manager. Garner's no-nonsense management style is widely known; and with concerns about challenges in getting the team to gel following the industrial climate it is clear that strong management will be required.

But what then of the Gayle selection?

The fact that Gayle and Daren Ganga were the two most talked-about candidates for the captaincy is a serious indictment on the state of West Indies cricket. It meant the selectors were truly between a rock and a hard place.

While Gayle's modest Test record is substantially superior to Ganga's effort over 48 Tests, Gayle has done little to suggest that he can be the inspiration behind a revival in West Indies cricket.

Ganga has been a highly successful leader of the Trinidad and Tobago side but could have a similar problem to that experienced by Reifer in justifying his presence in the team.

A captain who cannot earn his keep will find himself under pressure to maintain the respect of his players.

The selectors clearly recognised that the selection of a West Indies captain for a Test series against the mighty Australians could not be made on the basis of a Twenty20 tournament.

While I can understand the reluctance of the selectors to install Ganga, I believe the reappointment of Gayle sends the wrong message.

It is very likely that the next outstanding West Indies captain is yet to make his international debut. I see no obvious candidates among the current crop. There are some however who deserve being eliminated and I believe Gayle is among them.

A West Indies captain, like the chief executive officer of any major corporation, the prime minister of a country or the president of any nation must be a person who is completely reliable. Like the captain of a ship, he must be on the job until the end, whatever situation materialises.

Gayle abandoned West Indies cricket even after the WICB had bent over backwards to accommodate him.

West Indies cricket needs a captain who is completely committed to the cause of rebuilding West Indian pride in a sport that has benefited Gayle and his players, more so than any other group of Caribbean players in the history of the sport.

I am not convinced Gayle fully appreciates the seriousness of his responsibility as a leader. West Indies cricket cannot be simply about money and contracts. Any leader who adopts that philosophy in this era is misguided and unfit for the job.

West Indies captains in the past have taken issue with the WICB over financial matters, but those actions took place at stages in our history when the players were the ones being exploited.

The modern day victims of exploitation are the fans who are expected to pay hard-earned money to fill stands supposedly to support cricketers who either know little or care nothing about the legacy established by our past heroes.

Philip Hackett is an experienced freelance journalist.