GCB’s Head Selector clears the air on omission of GHE players

CHAIRMAN of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Selectors, Ramnaresh Sarwan has cleared the air on several non-selectees of the Guyana Harpy Eagles (GHE) 2026 squad.

Speaking on behalf of Rabindra Debideen (Essequibo), Julian Moore (Berbice), and Surendra Hiralall (Demerara), Sarwan cleared the air on the omission of Kevin Sinclair, Ricardo Ali-Mohammed, Ashmead Nedd, and Mavindra Dindyal from Guyana Harpy Eagles.

The chief selector was speaking at a press conference on Saturday at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC).

Those sitting on the panel included Angelica Holder (Fitness Trainer), Tevin Imlach (Guyana Harpy Eagles Captain), Ryan Hercules (GHE Head Coach), Sarwan, and Anthony D’Andrade (GCB Cricket Operations Officer).

Guyana will face the Windward Islands in three matches in Antigua from April 12 in a reduced Regional First-Class tournament.

The non-selection of 26-year-old Sinclair has been a hot topic on social media.

The Guyana and West Indies all-rounder has played four Tests and seven ODIs, taking 92 wickets from 38 first-class matches and has scored a century and 12 fifties at this level.

Sarwan emphasised that Sinclair’s cricketing prowess was never in question. Informing that indiscipline was the reason why he was not selected.

“I think it is very important for him to understand what we are trying to do for our group. I don’t think it is viable for him to be disobedient to the captain, disrespectful to the coach and abuse his teammates verbally.

Those are the things Kevin has to change… we have spoken to him about these things. Kevin is fully aware of these things and people around Kevin knows about this” Sarwan said.

Sarwan, a former West Indies Captain, explained that Sinclair was not selected because of a series of issues.

“Since 2024, we have had disciplinary issues with Kevin. His most recent actions at Everest in the second practice match was the reason he was not selected. He walked off the field and was disobedient towards the captain,” explained Sarwan

Imlach disclosed that Sinclair claimed he had to go to the washroom, noting that it is not unusual for players to want to use the washroom.

“We had to get about three wickets when he went off and changed into his casual clothes and went into the stand. It looked as if he did not plan to come back on the field” the West Indies keeper/batter revealed.

D’Andrade provided a background of Sinclair’s prominent indiscretions.

“The first official incident occurred in 2024 in the Super50 in Trinidad. The GCB received a report from the head coach on Kevin’s disruptive behaviour on and off the field.

The management of that team would have arranged a meeting during that tour. Kevin failed to turn up for that meeting.

The GCB also invited him after replacing him in the squad two days after he was scheduled to return to Guyana. He did not return to Guyana but rather booked a room at the same hotel that the Guyana team were staying. He missed the flight and the meeting.

He was subsequently picked for the West Indies team, but we managed to convene a meeting with Kevin, the Chairman and the CEO of the GCB to discuss some of those issues that would have transpired.

Kevin was selected for the breakout league in January. So this was not a case of him being victimised. Following that meeting, the GCB was comfortable with the progress Kevin had made. He admitted to all of his misdemeanours.

We (GCB) were comfortable enough to pick him for the Breakout League… unfortunately, that tournament was cancelled.

In February, we had another report from the head coach of him disrupting the training sessions…and quite recently, during the practice,” D’Andrade explained.

Asked what the GCB is doing to help players like Sinclair,  D’Andrade informed that the GCB had reached out to the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport to have a sports psychologist involved.

“Since then, we have reached out to a sports psychologist in England, but that fell through.

We are still looking because we recognise at the GCB that a sports psychologist plays a major part in professional sport. Plus all the social issues and other issues athletes face, we want to equip them to be better professionals as they represent Guyana and the West Indies,” D’Andrade posited.

Looking at the other notable omissions including Ali-Mohammed, Nedd and Dindyal, the head coach said he has not heard from Nedd since September when he joined the camps for two training sessions.

It was also revealed that a second opportunity for those who had failed to reach 40 in the beep test or who had not gotten to do it, was conducted on Saturday morning.

Six players were set to do the beep test. Dindyal (who reached 30 on his first try) failed to show up, reportedly ill. A replacement will be announced shortly.

Of the five (Shamar Joseph, Gudakesh Motie, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, and Ali-Mohammed (who reached 31 in his first try) Ali-Mohammed was the only one to fail.

Joseph is likely to play from the second round since he is on mandatory rest from CWI.