Benjamin calls for grassroots revolution to rescue West Indies cricket

Former West Indies fast bowler Winston Benjamin believes the future of Caribbean cricket depends on a renewed commitment to grassroots development, warning that the region risks losing talented players if the foundation of the sport is neglected.

The Antiguan, who has remained heavily involved in player development through coaching, believes the current structure is failing young cricketers by expecting them to succeed at the highest level before they have fully developed the necessary skills.

Speaking about the state of West Indies cricket, Benjamin delivered a blunt assessment while insisting that a stronger focus on youth development can still change the direction of the game.

“Our cricket is literally dead and we have nothing coming through,” Benjamin said.

“We don’t have the patience and we’re not promoting the cricket from the grassroot level upwards. We’re hoping that somebody come through the crack and when they come through they have a lot of fundamentals that is incorrect.”

Patience needed with emerging talent

Benjamin believes the region has talented young players capable of reaching international heights, but he feels the system often rushes their progress instead of allowing them to develop properly.

He pointed to several promising players as examples of talent that must be carefully nurtured.

“I’m going to call a name now and I am not plugging for anybody but let us look at a young guy from Windward Island named Alick Athanaze,” he said.

“He has talent, youth and all that there is to become an international great but I think we just don’t have the patience.”

Benjamin also highlighted the challenges facing young wicketkeeper-batter Jewel Andrew, who was introduced to international cricket at an early stage.

“Then they have a young Jewel Andrew that we throw him in,” Benjamin said.

“As we were talking about learning to swim, you just throw him in and you, it’s either sink or swim or hook or duck. Patience again, now he’s on the outside looking in.”

For Benjamin, the issue is not a lack of ability among young players, but rather the absence of a carefully managed pathway that allows them to mature.

Short-format cricket creating early challenges

Benjamin, who serves as a Leeward Islands head coach and operates the Grassroots Cricket Academy in Antigua, also expressed concern about young players being exposed to shortened formats too early.

He believes excessive focus on limited-overs cricket at developmental stages can prevent players from building the technical foundation required for long-term success.

“We are the ones who are teaching them or encouraging them to go into the shorter version at an early age,” Benjamin said.

“We can’t now decide that you don’t have control; you have control and your control is at this particular age group.”

According to Benjamin, young players must first master the fundamentals before being placed into environments that demand advanced skills.

“We are not going to encourage, provide the opportunity for you to be playing those kind of cricket at that early age,” he explained.

“When we look at the fundamentals of the players that we have that we call them elite, it’s found wanting so it means that we are failing our youngsters and then we’re blaming the system.”

Building players before producing performers

Benjamin stressed that development is not simply about finding talented athletes — it is about equipping them with the tools required to handle international cricket.

“We are not providing them with the necessary tools to face the outside world in terms of cricket,” he said.

His comments reflect a wider concern about the future of West Indies cricket and the need to rebuild the pipeline from the earliest stages.

The former fast bowler believes that stronger coaching, improved patience, and a greater commitment to fundamentals can help restore the region’s competitiveness.

Grassroots academy continues youth mission

Benjamin will continue that mission through his annual Grassroots Cricket Academy summer camp, scheduled for June 29 to July 17 at the Clare Hall playing field in Antigua.

The programme is designed for boys and girls between the ages of 6 and 20, providing young players with structured training and development opportunities.

The camp costs EC$275 per participant and reflects Benjamin’s belief that the next generation of West Indian cricketers must be built carefully from the beginning.

For Benjamin, the message is simple: before the Caribbean can produce world-class cricketers again, it must first rebuild the foundation that creates them.