Both head coach Phil Simmons and chief selector Desmond Haynes have stressed they will not be forcing players to represent West Indies.
Several of the region’s leading Twenty20 players have been unavailable for selection since the last World Cup in the United Emirates 10 months ago, leaving West Indies short of experience ahead of the upcoming showpiece in Australia this October.
However, Simmons reiterated his stance on the matter, saying players representing the Caribbean side needed to have a desire to do so.
“I make it a point in my time as coach and anywhere I have gone, I don’t think I should be begging people to play for their country,” he said here.
“I think if you want to represent West Indies, you make yourself available for West Indies cricket. Life has changed in that people have opportunities to go different places and if they pick that over West Indies then that’s how it is.
“But it doesn’t make sense me going out there and begging you to play for West Indies because I don’t know if you will come with as strong a heart as I want you to [have here].”
Nicholas Pooran is currently leading a relatively inexperienced side against New Zealand in the series which bowled off here Wednesday.
The same squad were beaten 4-1 by India in the preceding five-match series, West Indies being forced to do without the likes of all-rounder Andre Russell, opener Evin Lewis and left-arm spinning all-rounder Fabian Allen.
Neither Russell nor Lewis have featured for West Indies since the last T20 World Cup while Allen has not played since the tour of India last February. All three campaigned in the recent Indian Premier League.
Off-spinner Sunil Narine, meanwhile, has not turned out for West Indies in three years. He, like Russell, is currently playing in the Hundred in England.
“I would love everyone to play for West Indies,” Haynes said.
“I would like to make sure that all the guys make themselves available but you must realize the guys have got options now and if guys are choosing other franchises in front of West Indies, then we have to pick from who’s available to us.”
West Indies, T20 World champions in 2012 and 2016 are now a shadow of themselves. They have lost nine of 16 matches this year and are currently ranked seventh in the ICC charts. They will have to play a qualifying tournament in order to reach the main draw of the October showpiece.
Simmons said the lack of commitment to representing West Indies had been difficult to take, especially being a former player.
“It hurts. And there’s no other way to put it. The two of us have played for West Indies so we know the passion that we played with and it does hurt me,” he lamented.
“But as I said, what can we do? We have choices to make and choices have been made.”
