West Indies Cricket in Shambles: Board Calls in Legends Lloyd, Richards and Lara After Australia Debacle

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): Cricket West Indies (CWI) has summoned legendary players Brian Lara, Clive Lloyd and Viv Richards to attend an emergency meeting after the 3-0 home series defeat against Australia.

The three veterans will join legends like Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Desmond Haynes and Ian Bradshaw in the Cricket Strategy Committee to assess West Indies' embarrassing and disappointing performance in the Test series against Australia.

In the three-match series, West Indies lost every Test within three days. In the fourth innings of the last Test played in Kingston, West Indies were bowled out for just 27 runs in 14.3 overs, which is their lowest score in Test cricket and the second lowest score in history.

The record for the lowest score is held by New Zealand. In 1955, New Zealand's team was all out for 26 runs against England.

After the humiliating defeat, Cricket West Indies president Dr Kishore Shallo admitted that the recent loss will cause 'sleepless nights' in the West Indies cricket community. He urged patience and emphasised on rebuilding and starting to invest in the next generation of players.

He said, “Like every West Indies cricket fan, I felt the pain of the recent Test defeat against Australia. For many of us, including the players, the next few nights will be sleepless. Disappointment is natural, but we must not allow this moment to derail our journey. We are in a rebuilding phase, constantly investing in the next generation and rekindling the spirit that has long made West Indies cricket a force in the world.”

"Progress is never linear. It takes time, perseverance and faith, especially in our toughest moments. The road ahead will test us, but I have full confidence in the talent and commitment of our players. We have seen encouraging signs with the ball. Our batsmen have to be more alert as they work to improve," said Shalo.

He said, “Lara, Richards and Lloyd will play an active role in shaping the next phase of West Indies cricket's development. These are the people who have helped define our golden era and their perspectives will be invaluable. We want concrete suggestions to emerge from this meeting. If we really want to move forward, we need everyone's support. There is still a lot of work to be done. We have to do it together in a purposeful manner.”

West Indies are scheduled to play a five-match T20 series against Australia starting July 21, followed by a white-ball series against Pakistan at home in August.