West Indies fast bowler Alzarri Joseph declined to participate in the upcoming Test series against Pakistan, citing personal reasons, when the roster was announced on July 23. Following this public disclosure, the two were at odds, with Joseph subsequently accusing Sammy of making a decision that lacked context.
The subject has now been addressed by legendary West Indies star Viv Richards, who expressed disdain of the public handling of the issue. A more private settlement between the athlete and the coaching staff, in Richards’ opinion, would have prevented media attention.
At a press conference the following day, head coach Daren Sammy declared that Alzarri Joseph had not been selected.
“I would like to think that Alzarri, and this is just my opinion, would have made it clear as to exactly what the whole stuff was and how he felt and what he meant and I think there are two sides to the story.”
To get the coach to claim that he (Alzarri) declined selection—and it appears to me that he (was saying)—that’s pushing it in a major way, in my opinion. According to Richards, who was cited by The Indian Express, “I’d like to think that Alzarri Joseph would have approached it in a professional way, so that at least the statement from coach Sammy wasn’t really necessary.”
Richards expressed worry that comments made in public about such matters could damage a player’s reputation and career. “This sometimes hampers guys’ professional careers, you know,” he said, pointing out that the current conflict was surprising because Joseph and Sammy had a close working connection while Joseph was employed with the St Lucia franchise. Many things linger when such remarks are untrue.
I’m not really sure why things have taken a turn for the worst because the two had a terrific relationship while he was with the St Lucia franchise. I am aware that the relationship goes well beyond what we hear on the radio, so it would be crucial to try to reignite it. We occasionally make mistakes, but as long as we have a heart, we can always put things right and bring these players back on track,” Richards remarked.
Richards criticises Sammy’s public remarks.
Alzarri Joseph clarified that limiting his workload following a lengthy break due to ailments was the reason behind his choice, not his hesitation to represent the West Indies. Sammy’s public portrayal of his absence as a declined selection, according to the fast bowler, misrepresented the facts and created an unnecessary narrative.
“The head coach and I had a conversation. I spoke with CWI as well, and as you can see, they released the statement for private reasons. Having been around for a while, Mr. Sammy is fully aware of the consequences of such statement. To be completely honest, I have nothing to say about what Mr. Sammy said. As I mentioned earlier, he is fully aware of the impact such statement would have had on the public’s perception. Alzarri Joseph said.
