Kieron Pollard named the new ODI and T20I captain for West Indies

[MenInG]

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – Cricket West Indies (CWI) today confirmed the start of the recruitment process for a permanent West Indies men’s team Head Coach, announcing a new selection structure and policy as well as confirming the appointment of Kieron Pollard as the new “white ball” captain for the West Indies One Day International (ODI) and T20 International (T20I) squads.

This follows a comprehensive review by CWI’s Selection Task Force into the selection process and system for all West Indies cricket, with all the recommendations approved by the CWI Board of Directors at the quarterly meeting, held for the first time in Tobago on September 7 and 8.

The Selection Task Force’s four-month review benchmarked cricket selection systems around the world and incorporated feedback and contributions from current and former players, coaches, administrators, franchise CEOs and nearly 2,700 fans across the Caribbean.

As a result, CWI announced that they will be advertising the Men’s Head Coach role with immediate effect inviting applications before the September 20 with the aim of having a permanent Head Coach in place for the forthcoming away tour against Afghanistan.

The new CWI selection system will introduce new team-specific selection panels for the West Indies men’s and women’s and Youth teams. This will comprise an Executive Selector (lead selector), a selector and head coach. These full-time selectors will be supported by a selection analyst to provide performance data to support selection considerations plus a minimum of three scouts to ensure cricketers throughout the region are closely watched and evaluated.

A modernised, transparent selection policy will see players selected against six criteria: form and performance, fitness (based on a new approved fitness and conditioning policy), team balance, mental capacity, technical ability and commitment. The playing XIs will then be selected by the Executive Selector, Head Coach and Captain.

The Selection Task Force also recommended the immediate introduction of “red ball”and “white ball” captains to support a long-term strategy to focus on the different formats of international cricket. Kieron Pollard is being appointed “white ball” captain for both the ODI and T20I teams with Jason Holder continuing as “red ball” captain for the Test team as CWI seeks to see an improvement in performances and therefore ICC World Rankings as part of the long-term development strategy.

On the Selection Task Force Process and Recommendations, Vice President Kishore Shallow said: “The end product in the form of eight major recommendations is grounded in a comprehensive methodology encompassing the feedback of some 2700 stakeholders. This is a defining document that represents momentous progress for West Indies cricket.”

On recognising the contribution of Jason Holder and Carlos Brathwaite, Director of Cricket Jimmy Adams said: “I would like to place on record the significant contributions and leadership that both Jason Holder and Carlos Brathwaite have provided the West Indies ‘white ball’ teams and we look forward to both players focusing on their own games and enjoy the freedom of playing with the reduced responsibility.”

On his appointment as West Indies white ball Captain, Kieron Pollard said: “I’m truly honoured to be appointed Captain of the West Indies and I would like to thank Cricket West Indies’ Board of Directors for placing their faith and confidence in me. I can’t wait to work with the coaching staff and players as we start building towards future World Cups and give the fans more reasons to get behind the team.”

 

[MenInG]

Guess matter of choices available to Windies.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Pathetic decision. Nothing wrong with holder as skipper.

 

[Abdullah719]

Why?

 

[Rayyman]

Pathetic decision. Nothing wrong with holder as skipper.

Why?

Pollard has been in excellent form over the past few years.

He gets into the WI team on batting alone.

 

[Abdullah719]

Pollard has been in excellent form over the past few years.

He gets into the WI team on batting alone.

He averages 25.xx with the bat in ODIs.

He hasn't played an ODI since October 2016.

 

[JattMaula]

Pollard is an excellent captain.

WI's WC debacle may have something to with leadership change.

 

[Maher96]

2 t20 world cups ahead. Sammy and Gayle dont make it anymore. Pollard surely will.


Good choice to lead tbh.

 

[Markhor]

That came out of left field.

With Dave Cameron gone, I guess Pollard is no longer in the sin bin.

 

[Hasan123]

Pollard isn’t a bad choice for T20s but not sure about LO when he hasn’t played for a while.

Everyone talks about Holder being a good captain, as a leader he is brilliant. But he has made a lot of poor tactical decisions at times. I would have stuck with Holder but I can see why West Indies have made the change.

 

[The Viper]

Not sure about about Pollard in ODI’s as he lacks the adaptability required.

 

[sweep_shot]

I think they should make Shai Hope captain. He is young and he is doing well.

 

[nextover666666]

Very bad decision IMO holder was doing alright

 

[moghul]

Good decision, Holder was not taking the team anywhere, WC was a big disappointment.

Pollard is a very experienced captain, although not at international level.

Holder will improve his game even more now.

 

[sweep_shot]

Holder did alright as the Test captain but he was a big flop as the ODI captain.

I think captaincy change was needed but not sure if Pollard is the right guy. Pollard seems too committed to T20 leagues; someone young would've been better. They need a young and long-term captain.

 

[SensiblePakFan]

Interesting.

 

[MenInG]

Clive Lloyd has welcomed the appointment of Kieron Pollard as the new West Indies captain in white-ball cricket.

On Monday, Cricket West Indies (CWI) announced that Jason Holder (ODI) and Carlos Brathwaite (T20I) will no longer be the captains of its limited-overs sides with Pollard replacing the duo.

“Pollard’s appointment was the best thing that Cricket West Indies could do right now, he has tons of experience playing all over the world and you can see in his leadership now in the CPL, that he is well-respected and he certainly will do a good job for the West Indies,” Lloyd was quoted as saying by Jamaica Gleaner.

Holder has been continued as the Test captain and Lloyd feels relieving the allrounder from leadership duties in ODIs will only help him. “This move will do Jason Holder a world of good as well, it will take a lot of pressure off him and he can concentrate on leading the Test team and give a better account of himself and the team,” Lloyd said.

Pollard, who last played an ODI in 2016, thanked the cricket board and is looking forward to building a team for the future. “I’m truly honoured to be appointed captain of the West Indies and I would like to thank Cricket West Indies’ Board of Directors for placing their faith and confidence in me. I can’t wait to work with the coaching staff and players as we start building towards future World Cups and give the fans more reasons to get behind the team,” he said.

https://www.cricketcountry.com/news...icket-west-indies-could-do-clive-lloyd-889918

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Pollard has been in excellent form over the past few years.

He gets into the WI team on batting alone.

When was the last time Pollard even played ODI cricket?

 

[Titan24]

Wow! Talk about surprise coming out of nowhere. Close to the Azhar Ali's comeback as captain.

 

[jnaveen1980]

West Indies fans are absolutely furious over the choice. From what i understand it is like making AHmed Shezad the captain of Pakistan ODI/T20 team lol

 

[MenInG]

Legendary West Indies batsman Sir Viv Richards believes newly appointed skipper Kieron Pollard was kept out of leadership roles because of politics.

The 32-year-old Pollard was recently appointed both captain of the One Day International and T20 squads, replacing Jason Holder and Carlos Brathwaite respectively. While heartily agreeing with the move, Richards believes it was a long time in coming.

“I’ve always felt he should have been [appointed] a bit earlier,” Richards said in an interview with the Line And Length cricket podcast.

“I guess the politics with the last regime and the things that obviously went down in India, and some of these guys, in my opinion, were blacklisted from playing the role that they should and helping to move the team forward, and I think because of those political issues, it didn’t quite help the progress,” he added.

Pollard was part of a one-day squad that infamously walked out of the team’s tour of India in 2014. A new Cricket West Indies governance body, led by Ricky Skerritt, deposed the Cameron-led administration earlier this year. The change in the administration led to a number of adjustments, which included a new selection panel in addition to Pollard’s elevation to the leadership posts.

https://www.sportsmax.tv/index.php/...pollard-captaincy-appointment-claims-richards

 

[Bilal Ahmad15]

I still don't understand what was wrong with Holder. Holder was the most commited to playing for the Windies than any other player (unlike Pollard and a lot of the others who keep on playing in the useless T20 leagues) and Pollard didn't even get chosen for the World Cup, so out all the players, why would he get chosen as captain (for ODI at least, Im sure he hasnt played ODI in a long while)?

 

[MenInG]

March 4 (Reuters) - West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard became the first player to play 500 Twenty20 matches and only the second player to amass 10,000 runs in the format during their 25-run win over Sri Lanka in Kandy on Wednesday.

Skipper Pollard, who had 9,966 career runs across both international and franchise cricket prior to this game, scored 34 off 15 balls to join compatriot Chris Gayle (13,296 runs) in the 10,000 runs club.

Apart from T20 internationals, the 32-year-old has also played for franchises in India, Australia, England, West Indies, South Africa, Bangladesh and Pakistan since making his T20 debut in 2006.

West Indies scored 196-4 in their allotted 20 overs while Sri Lanka were bundled out for 171, with fast bowler Oshane Thomas picking up five wickets to give the visitors a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.

https://www.eurosport.com/cricket/w...in-his-500th-t20-match_sto7693056/story.shtml

 

[QalandarFan]

I can never comprehend what the West Indies Cricket Board is thinking

 

[MenInG]

Much like almost everywhere else, cricketing activity in the Caribbean has come to a standstill owing to the Covid-19 pandemic and West Indies limited-overs captain Kieron Pollard wants his players to use the forced break to reflect on their careers.

Cricket West Indies recently announced their decision to suspend their domestic season for a month. During the break, West Indies captain Pollard wants players to take the time to reflect on their careers and also find ways to keep themselves mentally and physically prepared to spring back in action when things get under control.

"It is a good time for introspection, a good time for reflection, a good time to look at where you are as an individual in your career and what you want to achieve going forward," he told I955 FM.

Pollard has called on players to try and stay physically and mentally fit during the enforced breakPollard has called on players to try and stay physically and mentally fit during the enforced break
"You have to take this time in order to do that and also keep yourself in good physical shape, and mentally as well, because when the bell rings and they say 'ok, everything is back to normal and we need to go on tour', it might not be enough time to be prepared, but you as an individual have to be prepared mentally in order for you to try to perform at your best," he said.

Since taking over the reins of captaincy in the white-ball formats late last year, Pollard has enjoyed mixed success, the team winning 12 matches and losing 10.

In their most recent outing, West Indies won each of their two T20Is against Sri Lanka, which augurs well for them with the ICC Men's T20 World Cup scheduled for later this year.

https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/1647804

 

[MenInG]

Days after West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard’s blistering innings helped Trinbago Knight Riders snatch a victory from the jaws of defeat in a CPL 2020 encounter against Barbados Tridents, legendary England cricketer David Gower termed him one of the best T20 players but said he is not good enough to play Test cricket.

“Kieron Pollard is one of the world’s best T20 players but he knows as well as I do that he cannot play test cricket, he isn’t good enough to play test cricket.” Gower said in conversation on SportsTiger’s show “Off-the-Field”.

Pollard who is a stalwart for the West Indies in limited-overs cricket and one of most desired cricketers for franchises in T20 leagues across the globe, has never played Test cricket

Pollard, however has played 508 T20 matches and will fly to the UAE after CPL ends to join the Mumbai Indians squad ahead of IPL 2020.

Talking about IPL, which is slated to begin from September 19 in UAE, Gower, said: “I think overall IPL has been very good for cricketers both for the homegrown and the international players. Ever since the games have got shorter from the time of the invention of ODI, fielding has become incredible. I think T20 has changed a lot since the first days of IPL when IPL was taking some of the great players from around the world at the end of their career. But now, one wants the young players. I feel it is a very good training ground for players.”

He though opined that IPL isn’t going to make you a great test player but the best players in IPL make a huge amount of money.


The former English Captain who featured for the three-lions in 117 Test matches and 114 One Day Internationals (ODI) scoring 8,231 and 3170 runs respectively seemed mighty impressed by the Indian Captain Virat Kohli and his love for test cricket. Gower said, “Virat Kohli as the leading player of the world calling test cricket as the toughest and most important form is great PR for the format.”

Gower also picked his best Test XI from the current day players and said, “Ben Stokes and Virat Kohli will be the instant picks for him and there are no two ways about it.” He also picked Joe Root, Kane Williamson and Steve Smith as a part of the team. He also said. “If a current day spinner is to be chosen it would be between Ravichandran Ashwin or Nathan Lyon.”

He also said, “If I have to pick a Captain for the team it will surely be Virat Kohli, what I like about Virat apart from his talent is his passion and absolute drive. Cricket is still a game where you can be a brilliant individual within the team but too much of individuality can also be harmful but Virat is an extraordinary individual contributing to the team.”

https://www.hindustantimes.com/cric...ron-pollard/story-Jzlfj0IqhbgeY4OAU9emwI.html

 

[MenInG]

75* off 37 - captain's knock from Pollard today.

 

[Hasan123]

He will do a good job as captain. Very good thinker of the game.

 

[shamaan]

Some of the hits must have been around 90m clean striking

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Clearly still has what it takes. Rescued Windies from a crisis and helped them to a highly imposing score. Too bad they were outplayed.

 

[MenInG]

Big-hitting Windies T20 batsman, Kieron Pollard, failed to move closer to a historic IPL milestone after being dismissed for just 7 in the season opener, which pitted Mumbai Indians against Royal Challengers Bangalore at Chepauk Stadium on Friday.

Pollard remains just two sixes shy of 200 IPL sixes, a feat which has been achieved by just five other five batsmen. At the top of the list is Pollard’s compatriot and Punjab Kings batsman Chris Gayle (349), Royal Challengers Bangalore premier batsman AB de Villiers is next (235), followed by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni (216), Mumbai Indians (MI) Rohit Sharma (213), and RCB skipper Virat Kohli (201) close the list.

In Friday’s encounter, Pollard was, however, undone by a slower delivery from Harshal Patel and caught in the deep by Washington Sundar. The player’s 7 runs consisted of just one four with no sixes. RCB won the thrilling encounter by just two wickets. Batting first Mumbai made 159 for 8 before RCB, needing 7 off the last over, ended with 160 for 8 off the final ball of the over. RCB batsman AB De Villiers top-scored with 48 from 27 deliveries.

 

[MenInG]

Pollard's amazing innings at IPL for MI v CSK, so far 55* (19)

 

[Bhaijaan]

Pollard is the real universe boss of T20 leagues

Just proved once again.

He's won at least thrice as many matches than Gayle or ABD

 

[Hasan123]

Brilliant cricketer.

 

[OMB]

CPL 2021: Kieron Pollard Becomes Second Player After Chris Gayle To Cross 11000 Runs In T20s

West Indian all-rounder Kieron Pollard reached the 11,000-run mark in T20’s to become only the second player after teammate Chris Gayle to achieve the feat. He crossed the barrier during his knock of 41 for the Trinbago Knight Riders in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL 2021).

It comes as no surprise that Gayle tops the list of the highest run-scorers in the T20 format, with a staggering 14,108 runs across the international stage and different leagues around the world. Pollard has now passed the 11k mark, and the third spot is occupied by 39-year-old Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Malik.

Kieron Pollard breached the barrier in 554 T20’s, with a high score of 104. He averages 31.72, which happens to be his best across formats. He has a healthy strike rate of 152.74 and is one of those rare batsmen who have struck more sixes than fours (741 sixes, 699 fours).

The burly West Indian is no slouch with the ball in hand either. A specialist wicket-taker when playing for the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the IPL, Pollard has snared 297 wickets at an economy of 8.20 in T20s. His stats are almost unmatched in the shortest format, arguably making him the greatest all-rounder in T20s.

Trinbago Knight Riders beat St. Lucia Kings on the back of Kieron Pollard’s blazing knock
Batting first, Trinbago was struggling at 68/4 when Pollard joined hands with Tim Seifert in the middle. Things were looking bleak as batting wasn’t easy. Initially, Pollard struggled to find the middle of the bat and the team was moving towards a sub-par total.

However, all it needed for him to loosen up were a couple of boundaries that set him on his way. Seifert played a great role in supporting before taking off himself, and the duo stitched a 78-run partnership which took the game away from the Kings.

A target of 159 wasn’t going to be easy on a pacy and bouncy track. Apart from Andre Fletcher, none of the batsmen got going and Lucia Kings eventually lost the game by 27 runs. For his blazing knock of 41, Pollard was awarded the man of the match.

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/cpl-2021-kieron-pollard-becomes-103630712.html