Narine's return vital to West Indies' World T20 chances

Later this month will come an event that could have a significant impact on how the West Indies fare in the coming ICC World Twenty20. At the Loughborough University in Leicestershire, England, banned spinner Sunil Narine will undergo a test on his bowling action.

The Trinidadian man of mystery spin was reported for having a suspect bowling action during the third One-Day International (ODI) of the Sri Lanka series at Pallekele in November 2015. Tested at the university's facility on November 17, 2015 it was found that 'all variations of his deliveries exceeded the 15-degree limit.'

Suspended as a result, it is now up to the bowler to submit himself to another round of testing as soon as he's comfortable with the legitimacy of his action. He, along with the entire Caribbean, I'm sure, wishes that all goes well and his bowling technique is found blameless, for the West Indies' fortunes, to a rather large degree, rests with his right elbow.

When the West Indies won in 2012, Narine took eight wickets in their last three matches, including 3 for 9 in the final as the his team defended a relatively meager 137 against Sri lanka. Easily one of the most effective bowlers in cricket's briefest version, Narine has contributed massively to every team he has ever represented in 20-over cricket.

His consistency has been nothing short of phenomenal. In 34 games for the West Indies he has captured 40 wickets, averaging 17.75 with a staggering economy rate of 5.69. And in 168 matches for the various clubs he plays for, Narine has snared 216 wickets with 11 four-wicket hauls or more at 5.52 economy rate.

For the West Indies captain Darren Sammy to raise the trophy once again, or even if they are to do well in the competition, he needs Narine. Not only that, he needs him in good run-squeezing, wicket-taking form. He needs him confident in his ability to impose his will on the opposition batsmen, curbing their stroke-making ambition, rendering them tentative and fearful.

Addressing the Trinidad and Tobago media a few days ago, Narine expressed confidence of coming out on the right side of his approaching examination. Nonetheless, it will be no easy task returning to the space he inhabited when at his best. On Saturday, he represented the Queens Park Cricket Club in a 50-over match against Clark Road United in Trinidad. Videos from that game show no apparent kink in his elbow. Providing he mimics that action when he turns up at Loughborough, there should be nothing to bar his reinstatement.

But as crucial as it is, getting permission to return to International Cricket Council (ICC) sanctioned cricket is only half the battle won. Following that, the very pertinent question on everyone's lips will be this: how effective will Narine be with his remodeled action?

Obviously, we'll have to wait and see. Playing in a club match in Trinidad is a world away from confronting Virat Kohli or Eoin Morgan in a high-stakes game. We have seen, on a number of occasions, bowlers who have returned to bad habits shortly after having their bowling actions rehabilitated.

Pakistani spinner Saeed Ajmal was tested in 2009 and given the green light. In 2014 he was reported again. This time, however, he was found to be substantially exceeding the 15-degree limit. While Marlon Samuels, to offer another example, is currently barred from bowling after going through the process of repairing his action once before.

Bone-weary or under heart-stopping pressure, or both, we often return to old, familiar habits. Like many others, Narine was brought up with his faulty bowling action. It has been a part of him for a very long time. Altering it and maintaining the new action must require tremendous mental energy. I know someone who once had a dickens of a time remembering to answer to a new name, having changed his old one in order to conceal his true identity. That, I feel, is akin to what Narine will have to do. It will require extraordinary vigilance.

It is for that reason why bowlers returning to high-level competition, after going through what must be a traumatic process of modifying their technique after being reported and tested, sometimes never return to the level they were before. Ajmal was a mere shadow of his former self when he came back. And while West Indian spinner Shane Shillingford is still a decent bowler since he did the remedial work, he no longer functions at the high level he did prior to altering his technique.

So, Narine has a sizable task ahead of him. It will be difficult for him to return to being the Narine of old in time for the T20 World Cup, though Caribbean fans will be yearning for him to do just that. With the West Indies experiencing a dearth of high-class bowling options, Narine's return is vital to their chances.

Yet while Narine has a big role to play, game's No. 2 ranked team is far from being a one-man-band. Samuel Badree for example, though not as feared as Narine, occupies the number one spot in the bowling rankings. And how many teams can boast the incendiary batting might of Chris Gayle, Marlon Samuels, Andre Russell, Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard and Darren Sammy?

These are batsmen, each with the capacity of winning games almost single-handedly. But volatility foreshadows inconsistency. For the West Indies to do well for the duration of the competition, there needs to be a level of stability to their game. They need to have players that can be relied upon to perform well match after match. Narine used to be one of those players. And hopefully, he will play that role again.