Bravo dismisses CWI's attempts to question players' commitment

Dwayne Bravo is calling on West Indies' fans worldwide and the Caribbean media to open their eyes and not be fooled by Cricket West Indies attempts to question the players' commitment and spread misinformation about players' reasons for playing in Pakistan Super League instead of the World Cup qualifiers.

Speaking to Cricbuzz from Australia, Bravo reminded people of his One-Day International record while calling out chairman of selectors Courtney Browne for his false statement that he is no longer available to play for Windies.

Further, he questioned whether the recent board amnesty towards players was even authentic, and wondered if it all would have ever happened had the team not been subjected to the qualifiers. He also questioned as to why no one from the board offered any of the players new white-ball contracts if they seriously wanted them to be in the team for the qualifiers.

"What I would like the Caribbean people to be aware of is that since India 2014 saga I never said much about West Indies cricket, because I am living my life stress free, enjoying my cricket around the world. Yet my name is still being called up in West Indies cricket controversy." Bravo said.

"Usually it's easy to see stories and ignore and say, 'typical West Indies board and media'. However recent comments from board officials and some of the articles I've seen in press have really hit home.

"I was dropped from the Test team at age of 26, in 2010, before I retired in 2015 after being fed up of asking the selectors when I'd play again. I was dropped from the one-day team before the 2015 World Cup. I have never turned my back on West Indies cricket, it is them who have turned their back on me."

On August 21, 2017 when CWI announce the one-day squad for England tour after amnesty, Browne was quoted saying, "Dwayne Bravo said he is still not 100% fit, but is looking at a possible return to international cricket next year."

The 34-year-old Bravo highlighted the hypocrisy of that statement with Browne saying on January 25, 2018, "Dwayne Bravo was not contacted as he had indicated previously that he is no longer available to play cricket for the West Indies."

"Doesn't the Caribbean media see the obvious lie here?

"Let me make it clear that I have never had any conversation in last six months with the chairman or anyone from board about any West Indies cricket. The only time we spoke about cricket was during the T20 series in Dubai 2016 when he said I was poison to West indies cricket and bad influence on young players, ridiculously."

"The person who actually spoke to me was captain Jason Holder, during Caribbean Premier League, and it was him I told that after just coming back from my 2017 Big Bash League injury my body wasn't ready to play one-day cricket in England, but when I'm stronger I would consider playing one-day cricket in 2018."

"What I said recently in an interview with a journalist in the Bangladesh Premier League was that, however, I don't see myself playing 50-overs cricket again, despite my interest, because of the lack of communication from the board.

"So I would challenge the chairman to say otherwise."

West Indies have not won a one-day international series since 2015 World Cup, the last being against Bangladesh in August 2014 when Bravo was captain and he reminded all of this reality, alongwith some other facts of his 50-over career.

"When I took over West Indies ODI captaincy from Daren Sammy in 2013, the selectors' vision at the time was that the ODI team going downhill and needed change. My vision was to change the mentality and mindset of the team.

"So, my plan was to build for 2015 World Cup and get back to days of specialist in most positions, three or four fast bowlers and two spinners. Our ODI team showed great progress. And I had 48%-win record for Windies' one-day captains since 1995 - only Brian Lara and Courtney Walsh, with 50 & 52%-win ratio, were better."

Windies' ODI captains' win percentages since 1995 (Minimum 10 ODIs):

"Also, only two players in history of Windies ODI cricket (Ambrose & Walsh) have more wickets than me and I'm third on list as an all-rounder and not a strike bowler.

"I say all of this as reminder because for some, those stats were never good enough and when we were in the team, I recall many instances fans, media and rumblings from past selectors' that we were not (good) and we should be out.

"Now that they got their wish and we are out, they want us in. What the hell are we supposed to do and think!", Bravo exclaimed.

CWI CEO Johnny Grave, on December 14 while announcing the white-ball contracts, confirmed that the selection of players who were to be offered a contract was done solely by the selectors.

"How can people seriously expect us to even consider playing in qualifiers when board did not offer any of us white-ball contracts. But instead, they gave contracts to same players who failed to help the team qualify for the Champions Trophy. And (now) this qualifiers mess?", Bravo questioned.

"We were the ones who have been saying since India 2014 that pay cut was atrocious, so if [the] board [is] now increasing pay, its illogical that no one offered us.

"What guarantee do we have that if we play qualifiers and secure World Cup spot, that with 15 months until the tournament, we won't be dropped if we have one or two bad series?

"Plus, the fact that we got our NOCs to play PSL since November, it's a joke."

In Bravo's estimation, these are clear indications that last six months of amnesty and contract talks were a facade.

"Its all a game because board [is] under pressure to qualify and need that ICC appearance money. If they had qualified there would be no amnesty talk, this is coordinated smear campaign by board and certain parts of Caribbean media to blame us in [the] event [that the] team doesn't qualify", stated Bravo.

"They love to throw out that word commitment loosely, with no meaning and paint a division [between] us who play in T20 leagues, as the worst thing that ever happen to West Indies, versus [the] other guys, who stay as saints.

"If those players were so committed to West Indies only, they would have never put themselves in various T20 auctions around the world. Therefore, when they don't get deals, what else do they have to do but play for West Indies.

"People forgot [that] back in the day when myself and [Kieran] Pollard used to cut our Australia Big Bash contracts in half to come back and play domestic cricket.

"Back then there was incentive of Champions League qualification and we make it our duty to come back and play since we knew it would help the board financially and give upcoming players international exposure", Bravo recounted.Bravo elaborated further on his commitment, and concluded by suggesting that he expects West Indies to qualify for World Cup regardless of them being selected.

"The board got rid of best coach (Phil Simmons) the team had in years, just because he wanted [to] pick [the] best players."

He continued: "You notice in all these qualifiers team talk, Darren Sammy has not been mentioned. For him to not play for West indies since 2016, after leading team to two world titles, is disgraceful. That's how they treat players, they can't talk to us about commitment.

"But you know what, West Indies team [is] strong enough to make it to World Cup from qualifiers.

"However, then everyone will relax. [Dave] Cameron and board will collect their ICC tournament money [and] then they will say, 'hard luck, [it] was [an] inexperienced team [that] didn't do well' and also tell people they are building for next four years, like they did in 2015.

"People need to open their eyes and realize that West Indies cricket board, or whatever they want to call themselves now, are users of players.

"They were before me, during my time and will continue to be until somehow they are removed."