Dear Editor,
I wish to re-visit the continued omission of Gudakesh Motie that has once again brought into focus an issue that extends well beyond the selection of one or more outstanding cricketers.
For many years, supporters throughout the Caribbean and its diaspora have questioned whether the West Indies selection process consistently recognises and rewards performance through clear, objective and transparent standards. Those questions have become an increasingly important part of the public discussion surrounding Windies cricket and should not be easily dismissed.
Public confidence in any selection system depends not just on fairness, but more importantly on the ability of players and supporters to understand how decisions are made. Where questions persist and objective explanations are limited, confidence in the process inevitably declines.
Cricket West Indies has an important opportunity to strengthen that confidence.
Publishing clear selection criteria, establishing measurable performance benchmarks, and communicating how players are evaluated would help to reassure players, supporters and stakeholders that every selection is based upon consistently applied merit-based standards.
Greater transparency undoubtedly benefits everyone. It protects the integrity of the selection process, enhances confidence in those making the decisions, and reduces unnecessary speculation whenever difficult selection decisions arise.
Governance deserves the same level of attention.
Cricket West Indies is more than a cricket board. It is one of the Caribbean’s most important regional institutions and the custodian of one of our greatest sporting traditions.
Like every successful modern organization, it should operate under a comprehensive business plan supported by a clearly defined strategic vision, measurable objectives and regular public reporting.
Leadership should never be evaluated only by good intentions. It should be assessed against measurable outcomes.
Meaningful Key Performance Indicators could include:
Without measurable standards, leadership cannot be objectively evaluated, and accountability becomes difficult to measure.
Supporters are also entitled to ask whether the President of Cricket West Indies, Kishore Shallow, can devote sufficient time and attention to leading a regional sporting organization while simultaneously serving as a Member of Parliament in a relatively newly elected Government of Dominica. This is not intended as criticism of his commitment or ability, but as a legitimate governance question that would arise in any organization with regional responsibilities.
It is equally reasonable for supporters to welcome greater engagement from all members of the Board, including Directors Azim Bassarath and Bissoondyal Singh, whose perspectives on governance, transparency and strengthening public confidence would make a valuable contribution to the ongoing discussion.
None of these observations should be interpreted as allegations against any individual or as conclusions regarding the reasons behind any particular selection decision.
Rather, they reflect legitimate questions about governance, accountability and public confidence—subjects that deserve thoughtful discussion within every successful sporting organization.
It may be said that Windies Cricket history demonstrates that its greatest achievements were built upon excellence, opportunity and the confidence that places in the team were earned through merit.
Strengthening transparency, accountability and public confidence will not only benefit today’s players, but will help ensure that future generations may be able to believe that the path to representing the West Indies is determined by performance, consistency and merit.