da gbg bet： Former West Indies batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan talks about chasing 418, learning from Lara, and getting bogged down in the last few years of his career

da premier bet： Interview by Nagraj Gollapudi25-Nov-2016Where is your signature red bandana?
I still have them at home. A lot of people thought I was wearing the bandana for style, but the real reason was my helmet was too big in my early years in cricket. I could not find the right-sized helmet, and the one I was using was pretty comfortable. So I had to try and find a way to make sure the helmet fitted properly. That is how I started using the red bandana. All of a sudden it became a trademark and people started sending me bandanas as a gift.How many did you collect?
Over a hundred – in red and white as well. Fans would write messages on them.You played some of your finest cricket in Antigua and Barbados. Which of these two venues is your favourite?
Apart from those two venues, my other favourite was Cape Town. It has a really good environment and is a picturesque venue. But, yes, I like Barbados a lot because that was where I made my Test debut, against Pakistan, which had a special bowling attack – Wasim [Akram], Waqar [Younis], Saqlain [Mushtaq]. To perform against those guys was seeing my dream becoming a reality.You also made your highest Test score in Barbados – 291 against England. That must have been special too?
During that series I felt I was at my best. Before coming to Barbados, I had scored a century in Jamaica, followed by 94 and 106 at St John’s. On the flight to Barbados, there was some constructive criticism from a couple of friends, who said I was getting a bit too loose when I got to hundred. They said I should concentrate harder. So I made a promise to them that the next time I got to hundred, I would make a double.I was determined to get a double-hundred [in Barbados]. At the end of day three, I was unbeaten on 184. While heading back to my room that evening, I entered the elevator and one of my friends from the plane entered at the same time and said: “So you have taken my advice.” ().Murali was the toughest. I had the privilege to play against him on my very first trip to Sri Lanka [in 2001]. When I first saw him bowl on TV, I was shocked. During the training session, when I saw him approach the bowling crease, I could not believe I would be playing against him. It was an amazing experience. I was able to score 300 runs [318] in the three-Test series, and he got me out four times. They were challenging conditions. It was a good test for me. The way he bowled, it was really difficult to play him. At times Brian would stay on strike and wouldn’t want me to face Murali. He was that difficult.Let us talk about the current situation of West Indies cricket. Without taking sides, can you put a finger on why exactly West Indies cricket has failed to grow?
Forget for once about the management and the WICB. The fact that we don’t have a proper structure in place is the biggest thing missing in our cricket. We need an academy to help groom players for the highest level. There is no issue or shortage of talent in the Caribbean: young Kraigg Brathwaite, Carlos Brathwaite, Jason Holder, Shane Dowrich – all these guys came from the Under-19 level. I don’t think we have the structure to help these players perform consistently at the highest level.Even a very talented batsman like young Bravo [Darren Bravo] would perform, but he would not be able to meet his full potential. If you look at Chris [Gayle], myself, Wavell Hinds, we were able to go on West Indies A tours prior to our selection for the international team. A tours are going on now, which is very good. But after that those who are not selected but have the talent to become international players – you need to help them. Create a pool, have a good structured academy with good coaches in the Caribbean who can help the players physically, mentally and technically.It is not just about going out to bowl and bat. Cricket has become scientific now. I don’t think we have the necessary infrastructure and the building foundation to get the youngsters to move up to the highest level.”A lot of people thought I was wearing the bandanna for style, but the real reason was my helmet was too big in my early years in cricket”•Getty ImagesWhat about the WICB high performance centre (HPC), which is in place already?
If you were to take that HPC and compare it to the academies in England, Australia, South Africa, India, it would be like a backyard way of playing cricket. Another issue is, West Indies are a set of different islands. Just having one HPC will not do. Each of the six islands that supplies players to the main West Indies team needs to have its own academy. That is the only way you can help develop talent. Then you can rotate players from these academies so they get acclimatised to different conditions. This way, if not everyone, at least 70% of the players are equipped with skills and the mindset to graduate to the highest level.Do you approve of the structure put in place in domestic first-class cricket by the West Indies director of cricket, Richard Pybus?
It is very innovative and seems to be modelled on leagues like the IPL. Nothing is wrong with trying it and doing it, because the game is moving forward, so you also do the same with different ideas. But I am not sure if that would work in four-day cricket in the Caribbean. People take a lot of pride when they play for their country. Even with the draft system put in place for four-day cricket, if I’m not wrong, Leeward Islands were taking their own players despite having the opportunity to draft two players from other regions. But I’m open-minded.What about the coaches? There have been so many that have come and gone.
One of the biggest challenges we as players have faced is the fact that once the board does not get things its way, it penalises players. And it is the same attitude they use against coaches. I recollect former Australian player John Dyson, who had been signed for three years as West Indies coach. WICB wanted Dyson to pick a team the board wanted. He refused to do that. They got rid of Dyson with a year or year and a half to go in his contract. Recently we had Phil Simmons, who was outspoken but had done good stuff. That is one of the biggest downfalls of our cricket. Administrators try to get involved in the actual cricket rather than marketing the product.Is there anything that would have made your career more fulfilling? Also, is there any change you might have made to your game if given a second chance?
I would have preferred to play for another four or five years. My goal was always to play till 35. And if there is one change I’d make in my game, I would take away that hook shot. The one stroke I would miss playing, though, would be the square cut.What does Sarwan leave cricket with?
I hope everyone had as much fun as I did because throughout my entire career I always played with a smile on my face. I hope people had a wonderful ride watching me play.