Can Sunil Narine become an all time great?

[viriya]

Narine on Tests:

"It's something I am still trying to learn and understand, I am sure if I work hard at it and continue to get opportunities I will get better at bowling in that format. Endurance and patience are the key [factors] in Tests."

 

[NUFAN]

The fact that Narine is staying at the IPL tournament instead of joining the Test squad shows exactly where his priorities lie. Does Sunil Narine want to be an ATG Test bowler?

 

[OverratedSanity]

The fact that Narine is staying at the IPL tournament instead of joining the Test squad shows exactly where his priorities lie. Does Sunil Narine want to be an ATG Test bowler?

That's harsh. It's only ipl I know, but it IS a final and he can be back almost a full week before the NZ matches start anyway. He's not choosing one over the other, he's just finding the best compromise.

 

[Prince EWS]

That's harsh. It's only ipl I know, but it IS a final and he can be back almost a full week before the NZ matches start anyway. He's not choosing one over the other, he's just finding the best compromise.

He literally is choosing one over the other because they've been made mutually exclusive for him. Whether he's back four years or four minutes before that Test starts, if he plays the IPL final then he's not playing that Test and it's been made clear to him.

 

[Daemon]

Really disappointing decision.

I honestly don't see why he's staying in India. He's already established himself and the whole world knows he's an amazing T20 bowler. Nobody is going to care after a week or two if he takes 3-15 in his 4 overs or whatever and KKR win the finals. Maybe Kolkata are just throwing obscene amounts of money at him to stay.

 

[Maximas]

A final is a final, it means a lot to anyone, no matter who you're playing for, just because we here at CW don't really give a **** about IPL doesn't mean Narine should take it lightly, I doubt he's staying because of his reputation

 

[hendrix]

He's the best t20 bowler in the world and he's supposed to not care about that.

 

[NUFAN]

Yeah, I don't actually blame him at all. He's committed to his current employer and I'm sure he would hate to desert his teammates so close to the end. Was he a certainty (or close to) to play in the first Test anyway?

 

[G.I.Joe]

Well, his missing a few days training with the West Indies team sets back their renewed attempt at world domination by a decade at the least.

 

[Maximas]

Yeah, I don't actually blame him at all. He's committed to his current employer and I'm sure he would hate to desert his teammates so close to the end. Was he a certainty (or close to) to play in the first Test anyway?

With Shillingford having re-done his action (not sure if he'll be as effective as before) and Narine's record against NZ I'd say he would be the first choice spinner so yes IMO

 

[Gnske]

Country > money. This is kind of disappointing from Narine, might hurt his future prospects in the team.

Then again, I suppose playing for the West Indies isn't exactly a rewarding affair these days financially or personally.

 

[Hurricane]

I hesitate to query your post - but why isn't it rewarding personally?

 

[Gnske]

I hesitate to query your post - but why isn't it rewarding personally?

Only rewarding if you're in the t20i team. Which for the last few years is all most of the players in the Windies setup seem to actually care about.

 

[Prince EWS]

A final is a final, it means a lot to anyone, no matter who you're playing for, just because we here at CW don't really give a **** about IPL doesn't mean Narine should take it lightly, I doubt he's staying because of his reputation

I agree but I still think Daemon put it best by saying it's "disappointing". It's disappointing for us as Test cricket fans. Narine hasn't done anything morally wrong in the slightest, but it's disappointing on a personal level that this is the decision he's made.

Ignoring the format snobbery and money versus country debates for a bit, I definitely can't blame Narine at all. I think he's actually taken a principled stand against what was a pretty unreasonable demand from the WICB rather than making an IPL > Tests type statement. If his IPL side demanded he miss a Test series decider in order to be available for a IPL game he would've arrived comfortably in time for anyway, I imagine he'd tell the IPL team where to shove it in that situation too.

I certainly don't think it would've been unfair for the WICB to say "those who don't make it to the training camp in time may have their lack of preparation held against them when the team is selected", but how prepared someone is should only be one of many factors. Narine is still going to be the best option even under limited preparation and I'm sure they know that. They were just trying to bully him into doing what they wanted and it's backfired.

 

[Spikey]

workers of the world unite

 

[Hurricane]

Every major decision you make in life has infinite consequences. He has knowingly taken a different fork in the road. He will categorically not be a test ATG now especially since his chances were slim before this.
To get into weird **** for a second - the path he has taken will be neither better or worse than the other fork in the road it will just be dramatically different even if he does get picked for the next series.

 

[Maximas]

@PEWS: Yes, I agree his decision is disappointing, but it's the fact that he was forced to make such a decision that disappoints me most.

 

[Prince EWS]

Yes, I agree his decision is disappointing, but it's the fact that he was forced to make such a decision that disappoints me most.

Yeah, AWTA.

I actually think the WICB deliberately scheduled this series when they did to avoid the IPL clash in the first place, so to just completely ignore that original reasoning now and decide it clashes after all, even though it doesn't, is incredibly annoying.

 

[marc71178]

Yeah, I don't actually blame him at all. He's committed to his current employer and I'm sure he would hate to desert his teammates so close to the end. Was he a certainty (or close to) to play in the first Test anyway?

Actually, he's the opposite of committed to his current employer, he's going completely against them.

 

[NUFAN]

Actually, he's the opposite of committed to his current employer, he's going completely against them.

KKR are his current employer.