Also, while I do understand the Windies restructure and making the region stronger from the ground up for the future I would love for them to actually be able to field a full strength test team (though ofc pretty impossible after all that has passed)... sad to see them basically have ~5-6 test calibre players in the side with the rest just filler/replacement level.
Ian Bishop summed it all up quite nicely today when talking about the amount of 'talent' still in the region... with stories of Justin Langer surprised by how fast & nasty the net bowlers were from club sides round the region who had never really got foot in first class setup... and about how some 25 year old 6'7 guy from the Jamaican military bowler to some of the Indian's yesterday and was very impressive for a guy who was 'just' a club player... alongside also talk of how good the T20 team still is and the U19 success.
He also talked about how basically as things stand only Jamaica & Barbados produce pitches that are half decent for any kind of pace bowler... and that even those pitches were not as common as they once were... and in turn he felt they were doing a grave injustice to the area of cricket he still sees the most talent in at a younger age group around the islands.
Just to amuse myself I selected my 'ideal' Windies Test line-up as things stand just on ability:
#1: Chris Gayle
#2: Kraigg Brathwaite
#3: Darren Bravo
#4: Marlon Samuels
#5: Jermaine Blackwood
#6: Shane Dowrich
#7: DJ Bravo
#8: Jason Holder
#9: Sunil Narine
#10: Kemar Roach (just banking on him getting back to being World class bowler he was)
#11: Shannon Gabriel
With:
Leon Johnson
Carlos Brathwaite
Kieron Pollard (has performed when he played 1st class)
Andre Russell (was one of best 1st class players in Windies when he played)
Ravi Rampaul
Devendra Bishoo
Jomel Warrican
Roston Chase
Miguel Cummins
Alzarri Joseph
Chemar Holder
as the next few guys who would be rotated in in case of injury, drop in form etc.
Not world beaters on paper... but could give any test team a run for their money on a good day... unlike current squad which really lacks the right mix of experience and youth along with ability. As it stands only Bravo & Samuels have the ability to really dominate attacks on their day... and while Brathwaite, Blackwood & Dowrich have ability none of them should be the ~3rd best batsman in a test team as things stand. All have the ability to average 40 (well, Brathwaite more likely late 30's due to being in the openers spot.) but doubt they get there with environment being developed in...