Image courtesy of: The Australian
“It’s great to have him around”
West Indies batsman Darren Bravo has announced that Shivnarine Chanderpaul “means a lot to the team” as he is always there to help both youngsters and senior players when they are struggling to find some form with the bat.
“He’s someone very special,” Bravo said. “He means a lot to the team. We know what he brings to the table. We just want to wish him best of luck in the series.
“He’s the most experienced player in the side. Whenever a youngster or any player needs some sort of advice, you can go and ask him any question. He’s happy to help. While batting also, he makes it easier at the other end. It’s great to have him around. Hope to have him for a long time as well.”
Bravo, who scored a fluent 61 in the West Indies’ ongoing warm-up match against Uttar Pradesh, revealed that it was “good to spend some time out there in the middle” since undergoing eye surgery six months ago.
“To be honest, this was my first competitive game with the red ball since my eye surgery,” he said. “I’ve not played any competitive games with red ball since my eye surgery. It was good to spend some time out there in the middle.
“I grew in confidence once I started hitting my shots. I hope it would be a special series for me and the whole West Indies team. Having said that, I want to make sure that my game is going in the right way before the first Test.”
When asked what he thought about the Jadavpur University complex in Kolkata, Bravo said: “I believe it’s a fantastic venue to play cricket. It was also good to see a lot of fans came here to support us. It’s a wonderful venue. Hope to be here again in the future.”
Bravo also revealed that the wicket was a “bit slow”, but added that it was important to get used to the conditions if the national team are to stand a chance of beating India in the upcoming two-Test series.
“The wicket is a bit slow, especially when you put the ball back on the length, it’s stopping a bit,” he said. “But it’s important to get used to the conditions.”