( Pic Credit : Crictracker)

West Indies head coach Phil Simmons has made it clear that those who want to represent the national team should make themselves available for play.

He said the board members cannot beg players to play for their country and represent them in major competitions and events

West Indies have missed the services of some of their key players like Sunil Narine and Andre Russell due to unavailability.

The likes of Andre Russell and Sunil Narine who missed the T20 series against India are currently playing in The Hundred in England.

Also, other key members of the side like Oshane Thomas and Evin Lewis have not passed the fitness tests, and players like Sheldon Cottrell and Fabian Allen are all on the injury list

According to coach Phil Simmons, nowadays players are choosing franchise cricket over playing for their country which is sad

“It hurts. There’s no other way to put it. But what can you do? I don’t think that I should be begging people to play for their countries. I think if you want to represent the West Indies, you will make yourself available.

“Life has changed if that people have the opportunity to go different places, and if they choose that over the West Indies, that’s just how it is,” Simmons was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.

West Indies team selector Desmond Haynes also expressed disappointment over players opting to play for franchise cricket instead of playing for their country.

“From what I have gathered, I think he is unavailable because he hasn’t made himself available. I would love everyone to play for the West Indies.”

“I would love to make sure that all the guys make themselves available to play.”

But you have to understand that the guys now have options, and if they choose other franchises ahead of the West Indies, then we have to pick from who is available to us,” Haynes said in a statement at the press conference

He went on to add, “That performance is very important to us, and we didn’t say that we have picked the World Cup team yet, so all the games that are going to be played leading up to the World Cup, we must take into consideration.”