West Indies' quest for an allrounder continues

There are a few unmistakable conclusions to be drawn from the West Indies squad for the imminent ODIs in India.

One is that in the limited time prior to the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, the new selection panel, under Clive Lloyd, is focusing on players who have been there, done that. Another is that spinners do not figure prominently in their World Cup plans, a third that the search for a capable allrounder continues.

Six of the 15 players heading for India for the five matches (Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard, Darren Sammy, Kemar Roach, Ravi Rampaul and Andre Russell) were in the previous World Cup there in 2011, when West Indies were comfortably defeated by Pakistan in the quarter-final. Assuming that Chris Gayle recovers from the operation on his back and none of the others breaks down, the number to go on to South Africa in January for a final build-up to the World Cup will be seven.

Not many teams venture to India short of spinners; the preponderance of turning pitches is as predictable as the traffic chaos of the teeming cities there. This West Indies team has one, Sunil Narine; as potent as he has been in several T20 tournaments, he lacks support from those of a contrasting method, such as the left-armers Sulieman Benn and Nikita Miller.

Benn's continuing omission from the 50-over format is as surprising as the return of Russell and Samuels is significant. The 2011 World Cup was the last time Benn appeared in an ODI; until recalled for the recent home series against New Zealand and Bangladesh, his absence from the Test team went back even further, to 2010 in Sri Lanka.

In the five Tests since his return, he wheeled away stoically for 302 overs for his 28 wickets at an economy rate of 2.32 runs an over. His height, from which he gains bounce, and, if controlled, his fierce competitive edge enhance his statistics. Doubtless he will be back for the three Tests that follow the ODIs; in India, of all places, he is worth a go in the abbreviated format as well.

In their different ways, Russell and Samuels are Lloyd's two most interesting picks. Lloyd has said that Russell has the potential to be the allrounder now blatantly missing from the Test team. If it is an assessment not supported by his inconsistency, his powerful hitting, his quick bowling and, not least, his athletic fielding, have been game changers in one-day matches for West Indies' senior and A teams, as well as for his various T20 franchise sides. Occasionally he has combined all three to make a difference.

His one and only Test was in Sri Lanka in 2010. Since then he has been confined to 35 ODIs, in which he averages 30.27 with the bat at a strike rate of 119.78 and 30.29, with 44 wickets at 5.51 runs an over. Yet he has had only one such match over the past 18 months.

The most recent instance of his ability to create mayhem in the opposition ranks was for the High Performance Centre (HPC) against Bangladesh A at Kensington Oval in June.

Entering at 140 for 5 after 33 overs, he exploded with 13 sixes and seven fours in 132 not out off 56 balls, setting up a victory by 117 runs. In the next match, he took 6 for 28 off 8.5 overs in another HPC victory. The Bangladeshis were hardly the strongest opponents but they were a representative international team and it was still a cricket match.

West Indies have searched in vain for someone suitable enough to bat at No. 6 and take up the slack as a third or fourth seam bowler. Dwayne Bravo was that someone until injuries and a preference for overseas T20 franchises weakened his case. Now captain, he is again a candidate.

For a change, Russell has a chief selector, and eminent former captain at that, willing to give him the chance; it is up to him to seize it.

Lloyd has also been instrumental in Samuels' reinstatement. He hasn't had an international game since he was dropped after his twin ducks in the first Test against New Zealand in June. It seemed that, at 33 and with a record of underachievement, his time in West Indies colours was over; Lloyd's contention was that, whatever his recent problems, he was simply too talented to discard. Like Russell, Samuels has to make of Lloyd's confidence what he will.

While the senior team is in India, the A team is in Sri Lanka for three four-day and three one-day matches. There is relevance as well in the choice of Carlos Brathwaite as captain, with the consequent demotion back into the ranks of Kirk Edwards, who was at the helm for the A tour of India a year ago and whose batting star dipped in the recent home series against New Zealand and Bangladesh.

Brathwaite's first-class batting average of 28 and bowling average of 20.63 for his 57 wickets are enough to place him in the allrounder category in a region where the term has been greatly devalued; he is a tall, strapping bowler whose pace is less than he appears capable of, and a lower-order batsman who should have scored more than one hundred in his 22 first-class matches. He is another vying for the attention of Lloyd and his colleagues as they hunt for those who can turn a match with one innings, one bowling spell - or both.

It is a time for the contenders to seize the moment.