Sammy happy to be rid of captaincy burden

News

Cricket365
October 3, 2014

Former West Indies Test and ODI captain Darren Sammy is enjoying the freedom of retirement from the longest format, saying he likes being the T20 skipper but is happy to see others leading the other sides.

Sammy was stripped of the Test captaincy earlier this year, after which he retired from the format. He now only has to worry about the T20 outfit, and says it was not an easy job leading the diverse group.

Sammy said: "Captaining any side is tough but captaining the West Indies is tougher. We have players from different islands, different backgrounds, different cultures. In itself, it has always been tough.

"Tests and one-day – that pressure goes to (Dwayne) Bravo and (Denesh) Ramdin. I just wait for when it is T20. But I try to be a leader in one-day and T20 cricket.

"I am enjoying life, I am enjoying my cricket at the moment. It is time for West Indies cricket to move on with a new captain and I am happy. No regrets.

"I am just happy to still be playing one-day and T20s and that is what I am focusing on. We are just finding means and ways to take West Indies cricket back at the top. No hard feelings."

Sammy also said that the Windies now had a flurry of talent that was not available to him as skipper, and even he now had to make sure of his form to ensure just getting onto the team sheet.

He added: "I must first get a place in the XI. Our side has got so many guys, they have got myself, (Andre) Russell, (Kieron) Pollard, Bravo, Ramdin who has been batting well for the last two years.

"You have got Jerome Taylor back, you have got Sulieman (Benn) back, you have got Roachie (Kemar Roach) who is fit, you have got (Shane) Shillingford and all these guys.

"I am not saying back then when I was a captain I didn't have that. (But) We had to make do with what was available (due to injuries)."