Is the IPL the Reason for the Decline of West Indies Cricket? What is the Truth Behind Lara's Remarks - Best11.in

In the first over itself, Mitchell Starc took three wickets within 15 balls, dismantling the Caribbean team at Sabina Park in Jamaica. Alongside Josh Boland, Starc bundled out the Windies batting lineup in just 14.3 overs, sending them back to the pavilion. Australia, arriving in the Caribbean for the three-match Frank Worrell Trophy, needed only 10 days to whitewash the series. In the final match, Australia set a target of 204 runs, the smallest victory target in the series.

Former West Indies cricketer Ian Bishop, in the commentary box, urged the Windies batters to show the same commitment as their bowlers, but there was no change at Sabina Park. The batters couldn’t even survive 15 overs, collapsing to the second-lowest score in Test cricket history. Since 2024, the Windies have surpassed a 200-run victory target only three times in 14 Test matches. In this series, a total of nine half-centuries were scored by both teams, with the Windies contributing just one.

Less than 24 hours after the whitewash on home soil, Cricket West Indies called an emergency meeting, inviting legends like Brian Lara, Sir Vivian Richards, and Clive Lloyd. The defeat against Australia pained every West Indies cricket fan, as well as Cricket West Indies President Kishore Shallow, who said, “Cricket is part of the soul of this land. This loss hurts deeply, and sleepless nights await players and fans alike.”

Brian Lara, in a podcast, sparked debate by stating that Windies players prioritize T20 leagues like the IPL over national duty. “In our time, we played domestic cricket to earn a spot in the national team. Now, players seem to use the Windies team to secure T20 league contracts,” Lara said. He pointed out that players like Nicholas Pooran retired early, at age 29, to chase higher earnings in global T20 leagues, where they earn more than with the national team.

Former England player David Lloyd, also on the podcast, blamed India, England, and Australia for the Windies’ decline, noting that these nations take the lion’s share of ICC revenue through lucrative broadcast deals. He argued that equitable revenue distribution is crucial for teams like the Windies to survive. However, former India coach Ravi Shastri countered, saying India deserves a larger share due to its significant contribution to ICC revenue. He added that any country generating the most revenue should claim the largest share.

The ICC’s 2023 revenue-sharing model, which allocates 12% of total revenue to nine full-member nations, has drawn criticism. The BCCI receives 38.5% (approximately ₹1968 crore), while the ECB and Cricket Australia get 6.89% and 6.25%, respectively. Other cricket boards continue to protest this disparity.

As the West Indies, once giants of world cricket, grapple with their decline, various reasons are being debated. Whether Caribbean cricket can reclaim its golden era remains to be seen.