Overview

• Speaking in Mumbai after the innings defeat in Ahmedabad, Lara urged captain Roston Chase and his teammates to question their commitment to representing the West Indies in Tests.
• He said finances and infrastructure are real problems but insisted the passion to play for the West Indies is decisive, noting past greats succeeded without superior facilities.
• Lara acknowledged the pull of franchise leagues and said he does not blame individual players, while pressing Cricket West Indies to create conditions that keep top talent available for the national team.
• Warning that the format’s sustainability is fragile for smaller nations, he cited the near-empty, three-day Ahmedabad Test as evidence of waning interest in Test cricket outside the Big Three.
• As a member of a CWI panel formed after the team’s 27 all out in July, Lara said stakeholders have been discussing deeper foundations for the game, including competitiveness, facilities and player pathways.