"Test cricket is still in the hearts of West Indian cricketers at home" - Kemar Roach
West Indies' pace spearhead Kemar Roach has asserted that the Caribbean players still relish Test matches, contrary to the cricketing fraternity's opinions of their focus only on franchise cricket. The right-arm pacer also opined that Shamar Joseph must build his legacy and decide which path is best for him.
Joseph announced himself in international cricket in the first Test against Australia at the Adelaide Oval, making Steve Smith his maiden victim off his first ball. The Guyanese went on to take a fifer and shone with the bat in both innings. However, Australia won the match by 10 wickets to retain the Frank Worrell Trophy.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, January 23, Roach warned Joseph that he's going to have to deal with some distractions, but asserted that most Caribbean players want to play Test cricket.
"The best advice I can give him is to build his own legacy and understand what you want from cricket. That's up to him to determine ... if it's monetary, or if it's just stats and statistics or whatever. There's gonna be a lot of distractions and he's a hot commodity right now. The (T20) franchises are a big distraction but guys still want to relish red-ball cricket. Test cricket is still in the hearts of West Indian cricketers at home. It's just about us to provide support around it," Roach was quoted as saying by Perth Now.
With the West Indies undergoing a steep fall from their heydays, the cricketing fraternity has been long concerned about their future. Notably, Jason Holder and Kyle Mayers skipped the series against Australia to play in the IL20.
"My heart was always a part of the red ball" - Kemar Roach
Roach further claimed that he wished to be counted among the great Windies fast bowlers like Joel Garner, Curtly Ambrose, and Malcolm Marshall. The pacer added that he hopes the future West Indies stars to be part of that pantheon.
"I love Test cricket. I've played one-dayers and the T20 format as well but I think my heart was always a part of the red ball. I just wanted to be a part of those mega-cricketers back in the day ... Joel Garner, Malcolm Marshall, Curtly Ambrose, Courtney Walsh ... I just wanted to be a part of those names. It's different times now. It is just about these youngsters and what they want to achieve. Make the right decisions, and they go forward," Roach stated.
The second and final Australia-West Indies Test will begin in Brisbane on Thursday, January 25.