Russell: "Some WI Cricketers are not interested in playing Tests"

It’s not money. According to Andre Russell, ace West Indian cricketers are "just not interested in playing Tests."

The question of loyalty to the West Indies is long for debate about West Indian cricketers who rank T20 leagues above international cricket, especially the Test format. Popular T20 players worldwide have often stayed away from the West Indies national team and are branded "mercenaries" by some pundits.

Most of them, including Jason Holder, Nicholas Pooran, and Kyle Mayers, rejected central contracts from Cricket West Indies in December 2023 but also availed themselves to play T20 internationals. Holder, on the other hand, has since made a return to play Tests.

Though many make this same connection as a means of discussing the bankruptcy of West Indian cricket, Russell doesn't see eye to eye: "I don't think it's the money, I don't think money is the issue," he said to the Press Association. "Based on the amount of T20 matches and global leagues, many players are just not interested in playing Tests."

Russell was speaking after the West Indies were swept 3-0 at the hands of England, leaving them at the bottom of the table for the World Test Championship. The side managed to draw their first Test with South Africa in Port of Spain, where they had been behind in the game for much of it but were saved by the rain and an attacking declaration from South Africa, which gave them time to get to a competitive position before time ran out.

With West Indies also playing their last Test against England at the end of July, it meant representation from key players like Shimron Hetmyer, Nicholas Pooran, Rovman Powell, and Kieron Pollard in The Hundred. Pollard, Powell, and Pooran have never played Test cricket, while Hetmyer's last Test appearance was in 2019.

Thirty-six-year-old Russell says that at this stage, Test is not really for him as the big stage may very well make huge demands on his body that it just can't take. He remains hopeful, seeing that the current Test squad of West Indies had shown glimmers of hope against England, and believes perhaps they would have more going for them, playing at home against South Africa.

The article focuses on continued tension between the very profitable T20 leagues and the call to the West Indies flag in the longest version of the game. While other players opted to go the lucrative T20 career route, some, like Jason Holder, said they were willing to wear the maroon cap once again, perhaps indicating that a call to represent the West Indies still elicits tremendous desires from some cricketers.