Relieved that the West Indies tour of India remains on track despite the players threatening to go on strike over a pay dispute, former captain Viv Richards said the visiting team made him proud by going about its job in the “best way possible” despite the distraction back home.
“I am proud of them (the team). When I say good sense, if for some reason things didn’t work out the way they would have liked with WIPA’s president Wavell Hinds, they have gone about it in the best way possible,” Richards told ‘ESPNCricinfo’
The Caribbeans had reportedly threatened to pull out of the series due to the new contracts which would have seen their pay slashed by up to 75 per cent. However, the Dwayne Bravo-led outfit relented just in time and went on to win the opening ODI by 124 runs in Kochi.
“With all this stuff going on, I think it was just a marvellous performance. That was the perfect way to reply, beating the defending champions on their home soil in such a convincing manner,” Richards said.
The impasse was the result of fallout between the touring team and the West Indies Players Association chief Wavell Hinds. The players feel that Hinds “hoodwinked” them by agreeing to the new contracts without taking them into confidence.
Richards said someone has to own up for the breakdown.
“You would expect the players association to be looking after the interests of the players and also for the development of young cricketers in the region. I think there was some argument in the players’ association about how things should be panned out in the future,” he said.
“I also believe it shouldn’t have gone this far, especially with the guys coming on tour knowing that at some point you had to sign a contract to do so. To play out the way it did wasn’t in the best interests of the West Indies moving forward.”
“How much did this individual (Hinds) know before they came on tour because that is the topic that is going to be of interest,” Richards added.
The former batsman said the West Indies Cricket Board also has to cop some blame.
“Some players who come on tour, I am hearing that they get their contracts the day before they leave,” he said.
“That to me needs some brushing up with the board. They need to get their act together, giving guys ample time to let their legal advisors have a look at what’s happening so at least everything can be okay when on tour.”
