Cricket West Indies (CWI) has initiated a bold plan to address what its leadership calls a “systemic crisis” in West Indies cricket. Following an emergency two-day meeting in Trinidad—prompted in part by the team’s historic low of 27 all out against Australia in Kingston—some of the game’s greatest names, including Brian Lara, Clive Lloyd, Sir Viv Richards, Desmond Haynes, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, and head coach Daren Sammy, gathered to confront the decline and outline a roadmap for revival.
While the exact details remain under wraps pending internal processes, the meeting identified around one hundred areas of improvement, from infrastructure and domestic competition quality to player motivation and the role of franchise cricket. The consensus: this will be a long road back, and the solutions must be deep and lasting.
Acknowledging the Depth of the Crisis
West Indies cricket, once the pride of the cricketing world, has slipped far from its dominant era. The meeting was not triggered solely by the 27-run collapse. As Brian Lara put it:
“If it was 57 or 107, would we be feeling better? I don’t think so. The fact is, we have something systemic to address if we want to be a competitive nation again.”
CWI CEO Chris Dehring confirmed that the discussions produced a long list of issues, with the top priorities being:
Upgrading facilities at every level across the region.
Improving practice pitches to better prepare players for varied conditions.
Raising the quality of domestic tournaments to close the gap with international standards.
Addressing skill deficiencies early, before they become exposed at the international level.
Enhancing strength and conditioning programs to meet modern physical demands.
As batting coach Jimmy Adams noted, it is almost impossible to fix ingrained technical flaws in a player who has scored heavily at the regional level but arrives at international cricket with clear weaknesses. “Habits are hard to change in a couple of weeks,” Adams stressed.
Building for the Future – High-Performance Pathways
One concrete step CWI is moving toward is the creation of a regional high-performance centre—a flagship facility that can be replicated in other territories. This centre would serve as both a training hub and an academy, embedding what Dehring calls “the West Indies way” into young cricketers from an early age.
Director of cricket Miles Bascombe emphasised the importance of a holistic pipeline, where talent is developed consistently from grassroots to the international stage. This includes not just technical skills, but fitness, mental preparation, and tactical awareness in line with the demands of modern cricket.
The Role of Technology and Analytics
Lara was frank about the technological gap between West Indies and leading cricket nations:
“Back in the days when skill was the prominent factor, we excelled. But the game has evolved—technology, analytics—and we’re not on a level-playing field anymore. We have to find a new way to compete.”
From player tracking and biomechanics to opposition analysis, modern cricket increasingly relies on data-driven preparation. Part of CWI’s roadmap involves investing in these tools and training coaches and players to use them effectively.
The Franchise Cricket Dilemma
One of the thorniest issues remains the lure of global T20 leagues, where West Indian players are in high demand. Stars like Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, and more recently Nicholas Pooran have prioritised franchise opportunities over full-time West Indies commitments.
Lara acknowledged that the motivations of young players today are different:
“In the ’70s and ’80s, under Sir Clive, it was about being the best in the world. Today, cricket is commercialised. The franchise system is in the minds of players and even their parents. We have to find out what motivates them now and see where West Indies cricket can still benefit.”
Bascombe admitted bluntly that CWI cannot match franchise salaries:
“We will never be able to compete with franchise money. Pride in performance and representing West Indies has to be the driver.”
However, he and other leaders agreed that CWI must offer clearer pathways and incentives for players to see international cricket as a pinnacle, not a sideline.
Pride, Passion, and Cultural Connection
Clive Lloyd’s words carried both nostalgia and urgency:
“People must realise that T20 is an exhibition, Test cricket is an examination. When you are offered the kind of money players see in leagues, there’s only one way they’ll go. We have to keep the guys we have, teach them the right things, and hope our cricket stays in shape.”
For Lara, rekindling pride is essential:
“Australia, India, England—they get wholeheartedness from their players. We have to get that back. West Indies cricket must still matter deeply to the next generation.”
This may mean rethinking how the team’s history is taught and celebrated, and how past legends are integrated into mentoring roles.
Funding and ICC Support
One proposal from Clive Lloyd was to request special dispensation from the ICC—extra funding in recognition of West Indies’ historical contributions to the game. While not guaranteed, such funding could accelerate infrastructure upgrades and development programs.
The challenge, however, is that cricket boards operate under tight budgets, and ICC allocations are competitive. Success in this request may depend on CWI’s ability to present a clear, accountable plan for how the funds will directly improve results.
Beyond Quick Fixes
The meeting’s tone was realistic—there is no quick fix for decades of decline. The leaders spoke about the need for short-term stabilisation (improving current team performance) alongside long-term systemic change.
Short-term measures may include:
Targeted skill camps for players on the verge of international selection.
Selective recall of experienced players to mentor younger talent in the squad.
Specialist coaching appointments to address technical gaps in batting and bowling.
Long-term measures focus on:
Modernising domestic competitions to simulate international intensity.
Aligning fitness standards with top-tier cricket benchmarks.
Ensuring consistent exposure to high-quality opposition in “A” team tours.
Why the 27 All Out Moment Matters
While the Sabina Park collapse was not the sole reason for the meeting, it symbolised how far West Indies cricket has fallen. The scoreline—second-lowest in Test history—was a painful reminder that the problems are not isolated bad days but structural weaknesses exposed under pressure.
For Lara, the number itself was secondary to the realisation that “we’ve got something to address”—a message the meeting took to heart.
The Road Ahead
Rebuilding West Indies cricket will require alignment between CWI, players, coaches, regional boards, and even fans. As Bascombe put it, “We will engage all stakeholders to help us along the way.”
The roadmap may have a hundred points, but its success will hinge on execution, accountability, and the willingness to adapt to a changing cricket landscape.
For now, West Indies cricket has something it has lacked for years—a plan. Whether that plan can reignite the pride, skill, and dominance that once defined the maroon caps remains to be seen.
As Lara said, “It’s a long road; it’s not going to happen tomorrow. But we have to start now.”
