Today’s youngsters don’t quite understand what cricket means to West Indians - Curtly Ambrose
Former tearaway fast bowler Curtly Ambrose feels that it could be difficult for West Indies to regain their glory days because the current crop of players probably don’t quite understand what cricket means to the Caribbean people.
West Indies dominated world cricket from the 70s to the early 90s, captured the first two editions of the World Cup during this period. However, their fortunes dipped drastically from the mid-90s, and they have not been the same force to be reckoned with since then.
Speaking on Talk Sports Live, Curtly Ambrose lamented the lack of appreciation for the legacy of West Indies cricket among the current players. He said in this regard:
“Most of the youngsters we have now probably don’t quite understand what cricket means to West Indians in the West Indies and abroad because cricket is the only sport that really unites Caribbean people.”
Elaborating why he doesn’t believe West Indies could be a great team all over again, Curtly Ambrose said:
“This is no disrespect to the players we have now because we have a couple of guys who have some quality in them and can become great, but what we have to understand is that I don’t think we will ever see those great, exceptional glory days again.”
Going to be difficult to find another Viv Richards or a Desmond Haynes: Curtly Ambrose
The 57-year-old further added that West Indies could find it difficult to produce legends like Viv Richards or Michael Holding in the future. Curtly Ambrose said in this regard:
“It’s going to be difficult to find another Viv Richards or a Haynes and Greenidge, a Brian Lara, Richie Richardson, you know, a Malcolm Marshall, Curtly Ambrose, Courtney Walsh, Michael Holding, Andy Roberts, and the list goes on and on, Clive Lloyd. It’s going to be extremely difficult to find those quality players again.”
Curtly Ambrose, who claimed 405 scalps in 98 Tests, continued:
“When we were the best team in the word, West Indians all over the globe could walk and boast about how good we were because we were the best, so it’s going to be difficult to see those glory days again. Yes, we can be competitive and climb up the ICC rankings and be a force to be reckoned with again, but those glory days, I don’t think we will see them again.”
West Indies are the defending champions in the T20 World Cup; they also won the tournament in 2012. However, they have struggled to make an impact in ODIs and Tests in the last two decades.