FORMER West Indies opener, Barbadian Desmond Haynes, and his selection panel are again under fire from the West Indian public for the non-selection of 34-year-old Daren Bravo for the three-match ODI series against England which commences on December 3 in Antigua.
Haynes, who played his last ODI when he was 38, told reporters that it was a tough decision to make, adding that Bravo has proven not only this year but also last year that he can perform at this level.
Haynes further explained that his panel has invested in younger players, adding that in selecting this team they had to take into consideration that the World Cup in 2027 was in their mind.
“We have invested in these players and we want them to get the opportunity to play against a strong team and that is why Daren was not selected” informed the chief selector.
The left-hander followed up his good showing from last year’s tournament with 416 runs from nine matches with a highest of 139 in the final and three fifties at an average of 83.20 to help Trinidad & Tobago lift their 14th Regional 50 overs title.
While Bravo (who along with Shai Hope are arguably the best all-formats batters in the West Indies) will be 37 by the next World Cup, the team must win matches and accumulate ODI ranking if West Indies hope to qualify for the 2027 World Cup.