By Neto Baptiste
Former West Indies captain and batsman, Sir Viv Richards, is willing to play a non-coaching role within the set-up of the West Indies camp.
The legendary cricketer, while speaking on the Good Morning Jojo Sports Show, said he would not object to imparting his knowledge as a mentor at any level.
“That, I think, is a role I always enjoy when you are involved and passing on information but it is not in the line of coaching because there are guys who are designed for that. But I think I have a really good knowledge of the game and that’s why I guess that I am overseas with some of these teams in like the PSL [Pakistan Super League] and some of the other stuff I’ve done overseas,” he said.
Sir Viv, who has played similar mentorship roles for the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League (BBL) and the Delhi Daredevils in the Indian Premier League (IPL), said that although his calendar is usually packed he will always find time for the men in maroon.
“I have a lot of stuff I do on a regular basis and so I pick and choose exactly what time the things you’d like to get done and especially at my age so we will see. It’s always a passion of mine; I love the Windies and I’ve always said over the years that regardless of what happens that I am a maroon for life. When you wear that maroon cap, regardless of thick or thin, it’s like maybe being in my country as well where there are times that when things are really bad some of us can’t handle the bad side of the country we enjoy at times and we run away but I want to be here and there through thick and thin,” he said.
The Antiguan, who scored a total of 8540 runs in 121 Test and another 6721 in 187 One Day International (ODI) matches, said he is baffled as to why regional cricketers are still struggling with technique.
“When you have a team like the West Indies who, in my opinion, would have gone through all of the coaching process, it is sad that so many individuals have got so many faults with techniques and stuff like that, but here is where you have to fight through but trying to find out exactly the little mistakes that you make here and there and making it simple because you see that with all the other teams around the world where their batters are well organised. The way you look at them you can see that there is something about the foundation that they have and that’s why I think they have done so well,” the former player said.
Sir Viv, in 1999, took over as coach of the West Indies team during the 1999 World Cup following the hospitalisation of his former teammate Malcolm Marshall, for the removal of a tumour on his colon.