In another structural overhaul, this time to the team and selection policies, West Indies have appointed veteran Kieron Pollard as their new captain of the limited-overs squads, Cricket West Indies President Ricky Skerritt announced in a press conference in Trinidad on Monday (September 9). The board has also advertised for a full-time head coach for the national side.
Pollard, who last played an ODI game for West Indies against Pakistan back in October 2016, replaces Jason Holder in the 50-over format, while the latter will continue as captain in Test cricket. In T20Is, Pollard takes over the leadership role from Carlos Brathwaite.
The decision comes after the conclusion of the firstquarterly board meeting of CWI, in Tobago on September 7 and 8, following a comprehensive reviewby the Selection Task Force of the selection process and system for all WestIndies cricket, including women's and youth teams. The recommendations made bythe panel were further approved by the CWI Board of Directors. Skerritt reasonedthat the board was following the "best possible practices for bestpossible outcomes".
"He's a very important force and is still going to be ourred-ball captain," Skerritt said of Holder. "Holder will now competefor a place in Pollard's team and use this as an opportunity to become a bettercricketer. Pollard is the right man at the right time to take our white-ballteams forward."
Pollard's first assignment as the new white-ball national captain will be against Afghanistan in November, in India, where they are scheduled to play three T20Is and as many ODIs, followed by a one-off Test.
"I've played franchise all over the world and I hope to use this experience to help the West Indies in my role as captain," Pollard said at the press conference. "In the short term as captain, the immediate aim is to defend the T20 World Cup. One of the discussions I hope to have is to bring back the idea of specialists playing in their best positions."
