THE WEST INDIES’ cricket team will definitely be more energised under the leadership of new captain Darren Sammy.In his first Press conference at the Jamaica Pegasus here this morning after replacing Chris Gayle as skipper, Sammy promised to bring more vigour and vitality to the Caribbean cricket outfit.“I know my personality. I don’t think I could be on a cricket field and despite what’s happening not show that fighting spirit and that passion. This will be important when we are out there as a team,” Sammy told reporters.“I will be the one making the decisions but at the end of the day, I have to bring the whole team with me and one thing I know for sure, I want to bring lots of energy,” he said.“When you play in an environment that’s relaxed, and working towards one common goal, it augurs well for the team and that’s what I’m looking for,” Sammy asserted.
And Sammy believes former vice-captain Dwayne Bravo has the dynamism to assist him with such an indefatigable team spirit. “Another guy who has lots of energy is Bravo so I need to bring in Bravo and all the guys with me in order for us to reach our goal,” Sammy noted.
West Indies’ coach Ottis Gibson has also encouraged the fervent 26-year-old six-footer to keep on doing what he has been doing.“What I’ve seen of Darren Sammy as a leader, he’s always played with passion…We put somebody in place that got passion as a leader and what we don’t want for Darren Sammy is to get the job and then change now.“I said to him, he must be his own man and don’t change what he’s doing. We as management will make sure that we take as much of the stress off him that he doesn’t change his personality to fit into what he’s doing. Hopefully, he will continue to lead that way,” Gibson added.Gibson reminded that the foundation of West Indies cricket was built on the passion for the game.
“Because the team, in recent times, has been losing a lot, the passion has dwindled a little but we need to rekindle that passion,” Gibson said.
