The three generations of West Indian cricket
Let's be honest.
The current West Indian team is probably the poorest West Indian team ever.
What's sad is, it wasn't once upon a time.
In the 70s and 80s, West Indies were a global dominating team, feared to play against by each and every nation.
In the 90s and 2000s, they were fierce competitors that gave every team a run for their money, still producing players who would go on to become legends of the game.
In the current era, they look like leg-less chickens trying to conquer the Everest.
They just aren't good enough.
With most of its players focusing on T20 tournaments and there being constant tiffs between the players and the board, West Indian cricket is in turmoil.
Let us have a look at the West Indian team of the 80s, 90s and 2000s and reminisce the golden days of West Indian cricket, and try to figure out what went wrong in their transition over the years.
#1 West Indies of the 80s
This was certainly the golden era of West Indian cricket. It was the time when they had 4 genuinely quick bowlers, giving nightmares to the batsmen a day before the test match. It was in an era where there were no helmets, that added fuel to the fire created by them.
They had match-winning aggressive batsmen, a strong captain and a world-class all-rounder. It wouldn't be wrong in assuming that the West Indies of the 80's was the best cricketing team ever. Here is the best playing XI of the West Indian team of the 1980s.
- Gordon Greenidge
- Desmond Haynes
- Vivian Richards
- Clive Lloyd (c)
- Larry Gomes
- Gus Logie
- Andy Roberts
- Jeff Dujon (wk)
- Malcom Marshall
- Michael Holding
- Joel Garner