T20 World Cup 2021: "Would love to get back in the coaching" - Dwayne Bravo opens up on post-retirement plans
Legenday West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo has hinted at taking up a coaching role after retiring from all formats of the game. Bravo revealed that he would love to give back to the game.
Bravo called time on his international career after West Indies' journey in the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 came to an end. However, he has vouched for continuing to play in franchise cricket across the globe as long as his body permits.
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Speaking at the post-match press conference, Dwayne Bravo said:
"Yeah, I will continue playing franchise cricket for a few more years as long as my body will allow me to. My aim was to retire a few years ago, but with a change of presidency and change of leadership comes a change of heart. I wanted to give back to West Indies because I was still in a good place physically and enjoy my cricket."
Incidentally, Dwayne Bravo had a fallout with the West Indies management and didn't play for his country for a couple of years before returning to international cricket in 2019.
The 38-year-old asserted that this was the right time to walk away to allow the next generation of cricketers to take over. Bravo said:
"I had a brief chat with Pollard and said, would I like to come back and play in the shortest format, which is my specialty. And they gave me the opportunity to play again and I'm very grateful for that. Obviously, one year was hampered by the pandemic which none of us had control over but I commit myself to play for another two years for West Indies."
Bravo added:
"So I think this was the right moment for me to walk away from the game and allow the next generation and young players who I share a very good friendship with to come through."
Dwayne Bravo also opened up on his post-retirement plans, saying he would love to take up a coaching role once he hangs his boots from franchise cricket. He said:
"Definitely at some point if I decide to walk away from the game finally, I would love to get back in the coaching department. So I already started to put things in place for when it's that time. Definitely, you will see me around. Like I said, cricket has given me everything. Cricket has given me the life I always wanted for myself and my family."
Bravo has 40 Tests, 164 ODIs and 90 T20Is under his belt. The Trinidadian flourished mostly in the shorter formats, scoring 1245 runs and picking up 78 wickets with the best figures of 4/19.
"He said half of it" - Dwayne Bravo on Chris Gayle's retirement
West Indies opener Chris Gayle is also in the twilight of his career, having represented West Indies for over two decades. The 42-year-old received a warm welcome from his teammates and the spectators after his brief innings against Australia.
While speculation was at an all-time high about Gayle's retirement, Dwayne Bravo revealed that he hasn't decided anything yet. Bravo concluded:
"He said half of it. He halfway retires. He still has some cricket left. I'm not sure what he's decided yet, but yeah."
A legend of T20 cricket, Gayle has donned the maroons in 79 T20Is, 301 ODIs and 103 Test matches. The southpaw has over 18000 international runs under his belt, including 42 centuries.