Badree credits IPL stint for development

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC):

Former West Indies leg-spinner, Samuel Badree, believes his spell last season as bowling coach with Indian Premier League franchise, Delhi Capitals, has enhanced his overall status as a coach.

The Trinidadian, who played the last of his 52 Twenty20 Internationals two years ago, served alongside head coach Ricky Ponting as Capitals reached the semi-finals before being knocked out by eventual losing finalists, Chennai Super Kings.

“[I served] with two of the modern greats of cricket in Sourav Ganguly as the mentor of the team alongside Ricky Ponting – one of the greatest batsmen ever – who was the head coach,” the 39-year-old the Express newspaper here.

“With those two and along with the other coaching staff, it was really a tremendous learning experience for me.

“I was able to get an understanding of different mindsets, different philosophies and different cultures coming together to make an environment that is conducive to players performing at that level.”

He continued: “The IPL is one of the toughest competitions in the world and each of these coaches would have different philosophies and to mesh that together in a team environment helped me to learn a lot about the philosophy of coaching.

“I also learned a lot about the mental and strategic aspects from some of the greatest players who would have played the game.”

Earlier this month, Badree applied for the vacant Trinidad and Tobago head coach position, pitting himself against the likes of the incumbent Mervyn Dillon and Trinbago Knight Riders assistant coach, Imran Jan.

Applications are expected to close next Thursday, leaving the T&T Cricket Board to deliberate over its choice to oversee Red Force’s upcoming campaigns.

UNCERTAIN TIMES

However, with the IPL suspended indefinitely because of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Badree said any IPL stint this year now seemed unlikely.

“At the moment, everything is so uncertain and it will be tough to get a window for the IPL with all the bilateral series and the World T20 as well later in the year,” he explained.

“It will be very difficult to get an international window where all the international players will be free at that time. It might very well be an IPL with only the Indian players but how that pans out, only time will tell. I don’t see it just happening on the same scale that we are accustomed to.”

Cricket West Indies domestic itinerary has also been impacted by the pandemic, with the last two rounds of the first-class championship aborted last month and all home tours now in doubt.