Stuart Law appointed as the coach of the West Indies cricket team
What's the story?
Former Australian cricketer Stuart Law has been appointed as the coach of the West Indies men’s team on a two-year contract as confirmed by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB).
With just a handful of weeks left before the Caribbean outfit face off against England in a three-match ODI series, it is reported by CMC that the former Sri Lanka and Bangladesh coach will take charge of the team on February 15.
As per the reports of India Today, the outgoing director of WICB, Richard Pybus said, "We are delighted to welcome Stuart to West Indies cricket. He comes at an exciting and critical time in the development of the West Indies men's team, with the emergence of some outstanding young talent, as seen in the most recent Test series against Pakistan."
Law, who was the batting coach of the Sri Lankan team previously, also expressed his excitement, ahead of his stint with the West Indies team. "I am excited at the opportunity to contribute to what I think is an interesting time for West Indies. I think this assignment has come at an important time in my career," said the former cricketer.
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Law will fill the void left by former coach Phil Simmons, who had been released few months after he led the team to the 2016 ICC World T20 title.
The Australian played 54 ODIs and a lone Test for the Baggy Greens, scoring a century in ODIs along with seven fifties. In spite of having a glittering first-class record, he never made it big as a player at the international level.
The heart of the matter
The WICB feels that the experience and positive attitude of Law will be valuable for the development of the team. Pybus feels that the Australian has great experience and breadth of knowledge as a player and coach and his cross-cultural experience and winning attitude will be key assets in the development of the team.
What’s next?
The upcoming ODI series against England will definitely be an acid test for both the team and the newly-appointed coach, and it will be interesting to see how everything turns out.
Sportskeeda’s Take
The West Indies are currently 9th in the ICC One-Day International rankings and have already lost the eligibility to compete in the ICC Champions Trophy later this year. It will be a huge task for the Australian to re-shape the team and revive the nation’s lost glory.