Chanderpaul inclusion vital for team’s success – Seeram

TIMES INT'L

By Rajiv Bisnauth 

Coach Ravindra Seeram says the inclusion of veteran West Indies left-hander Shivnarine Chanderpaul in Guyana’s 14-man squad for the upcoming West Indies Cricket Board’s Caribbean T20 competition is vital to the team’s success. 

During an exclusive interview with this publication, Seeram pointed out that Chanderpaul’s inclusion has enhanced Guyana’s chances of retaining the title.

“With his experience and commitment to the game, Guyana has an even better chance of retaining the Regional T20 title and book a place in the Airtel competition in India next year,” Seeram related. 

Not naturally a destructive player, the 35-year-old Chanderpaul could be asked to open the batting with either Richard Ramdeen or one of the two discarded West Indies opening batsmen, Travis Dowlin or Sewnarine Chattergoon, who both struggled to get the ball away in October’s Airtel Champions League tournament in South Africa. 

The left-hander, who is known for doggedness at the crease, was surprisingly left out of Guyana’s Champions League campaign despite making himself available. He played in the 2008 Stanford 20/20 competition, but was absent on both occasions when Guyana won regional T20 titles: 2006 in Antigua and 2010 in Trinidad.

Meanwhile, the team departed Guyana on Monday, December 27th to play three warm-up matches from the 28-30 December against Trinidad & Tobago in the twin-island republic. 

They will open their defense under lights against power-house Jamaica on January 10 at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. 

Guyana, who are in Group ‘A’ along with Jamaica, the Windward Islands, Somerset and the Combined Campuses and Colleges, have one newcomer in the squad in left-arm fast bowler Andre Stoll. 

Discarded West Indies opening batsman Sewnarine Chattergoon was recently drafted in the squad at the expense of fellow clubmate Narsingh Deonarine, who continues to struggle with injury. 

The full squad reads:  Ramnaresh Sarwan (Captain), Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Richard Ramdeen, Travis Dowlin, Steven Jacobs, Royston Crandon, Jonathon Foo, Derwin Christian, Esaun Crandon, Veerasammy Permaul, Devendra Bishoo, Christopher Barnwell, Andre Stoll, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Ravindra Seeram (coach), and Carl Moore (manager).

 

Related posts

Comments are closed.