'The system failed again' – Dwayne Bravo on brother Darren's exclusion from WI ODI squad

“When will the BS [sic] stop?! I’m not surprised by my brother’s non-selection, but with the recent changes in WI cricket management, I held onto a bit of hope for the better,” Dwayne wrote in a post on Instagram. “This is NOT acceptable, and I just can’t make sense of it! So here are my burning questions: What’s the criteria for West Indies team selection? Surely, it can’t be solely based on performance?”

Darren was the leading run-scorer in the Super50 Cup 2023 that concluded earlier this month and captained Trinidad and Tobago to the title. He scored 416 runs in the competition at an average of 83.20 and a strike rate of 92.03 batting at No. 3, and was the one among only two players with over 400 runs in the competition. Bravo also was among the leading run-scorers for Trinidad & Tobago last season in the 50-over competition with 240 runs at an average of 48 and a strike rate of 76.92.

Haynes: Hayden Walsh was very close to selection


After unimpressive outings in ODIs against India at home and Pakistan away as well as the T20Is against New Zealand at home last year, legspinner Hayden Walsh Jr was left out of the West Indies side and was not selected for the T20 World Cup in Australia. Ahead of the CPL 2023, he switched over from Barbados Royals to Jamaica Tallawahs, but played in just two matches.

After he was dropped last year, Haynes said he had asked him to look at his bowling footage in order to work on his shortcomings.

“Last season I was the first to go to Hayden when he lost his confidence and I suggested ‘get a camera to look at you, where you are bowling’,” Haynes said. “I thought at the time he was not bowling well and need some assistance from the outside just to have a look at him.

“This year I can tell you that I am very impressed with the way the ball was coming out of Hayden in this competition. We even made the suggestion to the West Indies Cricket Board to have Hayden in the 16 and he is going to be in Antigua for the camp.”

Walsh returned to form with both bat and ball in the Super50 Cup bagging 20 wickets – joint-most in the tournament with Sunil Narine – and scoring 222 runs with two fifties and a strike rate of 100.45. Against West Indies Academy, he came in with Leeward Islands at 157 for 6 and scored an unbeaten 60 off 55 to help them to 239. He then picked up five wickets to help his side by 66 runs.

“We were very impressed with Hayden,” Haynes said. “He used to be a two-dimensional player. He batted very well for Leeward Islands, came in at some crucial times and gave Leeward Islands a really good partnership and get them some good runs. We were very impressed with his batting as well.

“Hayden was very close to selection, and I am happy he has got back his form. He is bowling well and is always going to be in our plans.”

Haynes also revealed that he was told Jason Holder “is involved only in T20 and Tests” and is not available for ODIs.

S Sudarshanan is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo

Source: ESPN Crickinfo

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