Shivnarine Chanderpaul gets the message on Whatsapp
Is it the end of West Indian legend Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s career? Will world cricket never see the 42-year old walk to the middle again with those anti-glare stickers gleaming under his eye, the helmet too big for his head, that crab-like stance, and the use of bails to scratch out his guard?
A series of Whatsapp messages with Phil Simmons, West Indies’ coach, seems to suggest that this could be it. The terse interaction suggests that the man who carried West Indies cricket on his shoulders for a long time is unable to digest the fact that the team under its new regime wants to move on.
The man, nicknamed Tiger, who holds the world record for batting 1000+ minutes between dismissals — he did it 4 times in his career — might not play another Test according to the reports emerging from the Caribbean region.
The Test selection is on May 29 but Chanderpaul, who wasn’t selected for the 12-man training camp ahead of the upcoming series against Australia, has been caught in a battle of words with Simmons according to the Guyanese newspaper Kaieteur News.
It’s clear that Chanderpaul, who is 86 runs short of overhauling Brian Lara’s record of 11,953 runs to become the West Indian batsman with the most number of Test runs, isn’t a happy man. The statements from coach Simmons and chairman of selectors Clive Lloyd, another high-profile Guyanese just like Chanderpaul, have made it clear that this is the end of his Test career. Yet Chanderpaul isn’t announcing his retirement.
It’s his Whatsapp interaction with Simmons that is most revealing of the case of bruised egos. After first thanking Simmons for keeping him in the loop about his selection for the Australian series, Chanderpaul, who has a Test average of 51 with 30 Test centuries, brought up Simmons’s promise that it was up to him to make a decision of retirement. However, things rapidly descended into chaos and blame-game.
“The above statement (of deciding when to retire) was given by you in your interview. Now that it is left to me to make that decision. I would make myself available for the upcoming Australia series. At the conclusion of the series, it would give me an opportunity to thank the WI public and the board for all the opportunities. It may also be an occasion for the WICB to recognize me for my long and dedicated service. It would be a good send off after dedicating 21 years of my life to WI cricket,” Chanderpaul told Simmons.
Simmons responded by saying that his message of support was for the last Test against England (a series where Chanderpaul averaged 15.33 with the highest of 42 in a three-Test series ) and it didn’t pertain to the upcoming Australian series.
“We had selection before each Test and I did back you for the Barbados Test when it was close between the selectors but it is no longer close for the Australia series.I understand how you feel but it is in the hands of the selectors not yourself to decide on a squad for the series so what I was saying to you is that you retiring would make more sense than you being left out of the squad for the series. You can still thank the WICB and the public for the opportunities in your statement and the WICB will recognise you for your long and dedicated service to cricket,” Simmons texted.
Chanderpaul was in no mood to agree to that request from his coach. His next message made it absolutely clear that he was in no mood to quit and that he desired to be given a proper farewell series.
“My request to finish up with the Australian series is not asking too much. It gives me a chance to acknowledge my supporters at home, and the possibility of the WICB properly honoring me for my contribution to WI cricket. I should not be pushed into retirement. Here is a situation where I firmly believe public opinion would be in favour of me being given the opportunity to play in my final Test series at home. Thanks,” Chanderpaul told his Coach.Simmons, who took over as West Indies coach at the conclusion of the World Cup, then chose to send a strong message about how public opinion and longevity of career can’t be a criterion for selection.
“There is no dispute that you have dedicated the last 21 years of your life to WI cricket and as stated before this will be acknowledged and recognised by the WICB, but unfortunately length of service is not a criterion for selection. If public opinion was a criteria for selection then we can agree maybe you would play until you are 50. Unfortunately it is not.”
The coach also added that he wasn’t pushing Chanderpaul to retire but urged him to see the writing on the wall and choose a dignified exit. “I am not pushing you into retirement I am as previously said, trying to dignify the situation because Chanderpaul retiring would be more dignified than Chanderpaul being left out by the selectors.”
In what seems to be the last message in this interaction, Chanderpaul then re-iterates his decision not to quit. “Since you and the selectors said it is up to me to decide. I have decided to make myself available for the Australian series. I AM NOT RETIRING. Thanks,” Chanderpaul concluded.
With both parties refusing to budge from their positions, and with just couple of days left for the selection for the Australian series, the situation is likely to escalate further.
There is always a penchant in the Caribbean region for prime ministers of islands to jump in to cricketing matters but it will be interesting to see who the Guyanese government will back this time? The greatest captain of the region Lloyd or their most prolific batsman?
