New West Indies interim head coach Richard Pybus has quashed criticism from former captain Darren Sammy.
Pybus was appointed earlier this month for a tenure that has started with the ongoing series against England and will end with India’s September visit.
Sammy has claimed that the West Indies won the men’s and women’s World T20s and U19 World Cup in 2016 despite Pybus’ role as high performance director at the time.
‘Darren Sammy is entitled to his opinion. You’ll have to ask him about that. Criticism is part of the game, part of the tapestry and the drama around sport. We’ve just got to get on with the job really. I don’t really want to unpack the past,’ said Pybus.
‘The team are very focused, positive and motivated. You guys will write your stories, create a bit of an angle and drama, but from my side I’m not really worried about that. The guys are focused on the series coming up. There are no issues.
‘I don’t want to sound too “zen”, but I’m really focused on the first day coming up and making sure we’re ready for it.
‘I’ve done three years as director of cricket and what’s in the results bank is in the results bank. We put programmes in place. It’s fantastic to see some of these guys come through the programmes. It’s the coaches who work with them, the support staff around them, it’s the system which supports to ensure we deliver on-field excellence.
‘It’s very much a work in progress. Nobody involved in cricket in the Caribbean can say we’re where we want to be; the region has been playing catch-up. But we’re starting to have the depth to support the players properly.’
Former Proteas wicketkeeper-batsman Nic Pothas has been the West Indies’ interim coach since Australian Stuart Law’s resignation in September 2018.
Pothas, alongside ex-West Indies cricketers Floyd Reifer, Gus Logie, Desmond Haynes, Stuart Williams and others, were in contention for the appointment secured by Pybus.
The 54-year-old Pybus previously coached the Cape Cobras and Titans franchise in South Africa – and Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Photo: Gallo
