"That's where your job becomes a little bit harder" - Ajit Agarkar on Kieron Pollard leading an inexperienced West Indies side against India
Ajit Agarkar believes Kieron Pollard will have a slightly challenging task while leading a relatively inexperienced West Indies side in the limited-overs series against India.
The visiting West Indies side is scheduled to play three ODIs and as many T20Is during their white-ball tour of India. While the 50-over matches will be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the T20Is will be staged at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
While previewing the series on the Star Sports show Game Plan, Ajit Agarkar highlighted that Kieron Pollard has a slightly arduous task ahead of him. He reasoned:
"It's quite a newish or youngish-looking team and that's where your job becomes a little bit harder when you don't have the experience to fall on. When they were winning those back-to-back T20 World Cups, there were superstars in that team who suited that format."
However, the former India cricketer added that the West Indies have some talented players like Shai Hope and Nicholas Pooran in their squad. Agarkar observed:
"This is going to be a lot harder work. I think they still have a lot of talent, if you look at Shai Hope or someone like a Nicholas Pooran, with the kind of talent that he has, we want to see more of at the international stage."
Shai Hope has scored the most runs in ODIs since Virat Kohli’s last 💯 👀
#ShaiHope #KLRahul #AaronFinch #PaulStirling #ViratKohli #ODI https://t.co/AWnJFeDz4l
Hope enjoys an exceptional record in ODI cricket, having scored 3698 runs at an excellent average of 52.08 in 86 matches. Pooran also has a decent record in the 50-over format of the game, with his 1060 runs in 34 matches coming at a respectable average of 42.40.
"Kieron Pollard himself is going to be key" - Ajit Agarkar
While observing that Kieron Pollard will be the key player for the West Indies, Ajit Agarkar expressed hope of some of the youngsters stepping up to the plate. He elaborated:
"Pollard himself, to have that experience in the middle plus his leadership qualities to guide some of the younger guys, is going to be key. But some of those guys who have been part of the West Indies team, like Hope or Pooran that I mentioned, they have got to make that step up and take some leadership roles as far as performances are concerned."
Agarkar was also asked about the Mumbai Indians leadership duo of Rohit Sharma and Pollard going out for the toss together. He responded:
"Ya, it will be fun and I think one of the reasons that the Mumbai Indians have retained Kieron Pollard is that if Rohit is missing for some reason, for his leadership qualities. He has got to show it for the West Indies right now."
ODI captaincy record
Rohit Sharma
M-10, W-8. L-2
Kieron Pollard
M-23, W-13, L-10
The Mumbai Indians duo will be facing each other as skippers for the very first time on February 6.
#INDvWI
Pollard has led the Mumbai Indians whenever Rohit has been unavailable. His vast experience of playing in the IPL should hold the West Indian skipper in good stead.