Selectors should experiment for Bangladesh tour, says Perreira
Veerasammy Permaul
Veerasammy Permaul

By Rajiv Bisnauth

WITH the West Indies recent struggles on the tour of New Zealand, veteran cricket commentator Joseph ‘Reds’ Perreira believes that several changes should be considered ahead of the tour to Bangladesh.
West Indies wrapped up their New Zealand tour earlier this month when they were soundly beaten by an innings and 12 runs inside four days, to lose the series 2-0 following a similar innings loss in the opening Test.
The Caribbean side also suffered a sound thrashing in the preceding three-match T20 International series, and after widespread disappointment, where they failed to impress, Perreira is of the opinion that the selectors must make brave selection decisions.“Based on Bangladesh spinning conditions, I don’t expect Roach (Kemar), with the passing of his farther to turn around and go to Bangladesh, and it will not be wise for Gabriel (Shannon) to go where conditions really do not suit his fast-bowling.
“I think Shepherd (Romario) has shown both sides of the game, so he could be a major asset to Jason Holder, who along with Alzarri Joseph and Chemar Holder should be completing the fast-bowling unit,” Perreira told Chronicle Sport.

He added, “I think the attack should be based around spin. The last time West Indies toured Bangladesh, Devendra Bishoo and Jomel Warrican were selected. However, while Rahkeem Cornwall figures in New Zealand was not that great, I think he will go. I do think also Warrican will make the cut, but the selectors should be looking also at Veerasammy Permaul.
“Permaul must be given an opportunity. He has certainly taken wickets; he had done all what was required to do at the first-class level to get in,” Perreira reckoned.
Permaul, the 31-year-old Guyanese slow left-arm orthodox spinner, finished the truncated 2019-2020 West Indies Four-Day Championship (a tournament which used to scout potential Test players) with a chart-topping 50 wickets in eight games, extending his haul since the franchise-based Four-Day Championship began in 2014 to 290 wickets in 55 games at 16.90.

However, Permaul has been repeatedly overlooked by the selectors. CWI Chief Selector Roger Harper had recently suggested that the structure of the West Indies team now preluded the selection of Permaul.
Harper, a fellow Guyanese, had said while speaking on the Mason and Guest talk show in Barbados – prior to the team’s departure to England earlier this year – that Permaul’s success did not get him close enough.

Further with Kraigg Brathwaite, John Campbell, Darren Bravo and Royston Chase searching for form, West Indies are desperately looking for solidity in their batting.
To this end, Perreira, a former sports administrator in the Caribbean, is of the view that the selectors should experiment in the batting department.
“No Campbell or Brathwaite at the top, Joshua Da Silva, who had announced his readiness with a Test fifty on debut and Shane Moseley should be their replacements at the top. Shai Hope should be back as the wicketkeeper. He will definitely add some depth to the batting, while Nicholas Pooran should also come into selection.
“At the same time, I hope Shimron Hetmyer gets an opportunity to tour Bangladesh. However, he really needs to settle down, both on and off the field, and adjust his attitude and lifestyle slightly,” Perreira said.

He further noted that a lot will depend on specialist batsman Jermaine Blackwood. The Jamaican middle-order batsman has topped West Indies batting averages for a second straight tour, the only specialist Caribbean player to emerge unscathed from the miserable series against New Zealand.
The 29-year-old scored 216 runs at an average of 54 and was the only real bright spot. Blackwood’s 104 in the second innings of the opening Test in Hamilton was the only time a West Indies batsman saw triple figures in the series.

He followed that up with 69 in the first innings of the second Test at the Basin Reserve in Wellington. Leading opener Braithwaite managed only 55 runs, Shamarh Brooks struggled with 53 while Bravo could only scrape 32 runs.
Holder (103), who made a half-century in Wellington and tail-ender Joseph, who hit 86 in Hamilton (110), both passed 100 runs for the series.
Meanwhile, Harper is expected to announce the approximately 25-member squad for the two Tests and three One-Day Internationals shortly.
However, unlike the England tour last July and the tour of New Zealand earlier this month, there will be no reserves included in the contingent, largely because of the brevity of the series.

For the Bangladesh tour, the Windies support staff will again include a psychologist and medical doctor but this time, Paul Slowe will accompany the squad as a safety, security and compliance manager.
Once players arrive in Bangladesh, they will undergo a week-long quarantine before the tour gets underway on January 18 with a one-day tour fixture.
The opening two ODIs have been scheduled for Dhaka on January 20 and 22, with the final game three days later in Chattogram, the city which will also host the first Test (February 3-7) before both teams return to Dhaka for the second Test beginning February 11.
The tour will be the third for West Indies amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Although a truncated tour, it is a much-needed competition for the home side who have not played any international cricket since hosting Zimbabwe this March.

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