Brian Lara: Why Young West Indies Players Choose T20 Leagues & How to Rebuild Test Cricket

According to Brian Lara, playing cricket these days is also about "making a living," therefore it is understandable that West Indies players would rather compete in lucrative T20 franchise leagues throughout the globe, such as the Indian Premier League, than for their country.

With a few Caribbean talents opting to pursue lucrative agreements abroad rather than represent their country in red-ball cricket, the emergence of T20 franchise cricket has contributed to the demise of the West Indies, particularly in Test cricket.

It's not solely his responsibility, Lara told Sen Sportsday, "for an 18- or 19-year-old to say, 'I'm heading to the IPL,' or, 'I don't care about West Indies cricket'."

You could have been inspired or pushed by representing your nation when you were playing 40 or 50 years ago.

"But we have to make sure that that is part of the whole deal that we are selling," the former captain, who is serving as the team's mentor for the two-match Test series against Australia that begins on Wednesday, said. "But the sport today is about playing and making a living,"

Lara acknowledged that it was challenging for the West Indies Cricket Board (CWI) to compete with successful franchise leagues throughout the globe.

"The facts must be faced. The West Cricket Board finds it very challenging to compete with the kind of financial chances that our players have in the global franchise cricket game.

The West Indies Cricket Board has to work to instill in the future generation the value of representing their region on the international scene, he added, since it would be difficult to alter the attitude of the current crop of players. Lara said that efforts need to be made in schools and in youth cricket.

"With the current crop, it is not feasible to do this. "I believe that before we introduce them to the international arena, we need to get that into the age group cricket and the schools," he said.

"I believe that the youngest generation—the teenagers—has to be our primary priority. He said, "We have to educate them on the value of West Indies cricket and our efforts to preserve it.

According to the batting great, it is imperative that players from the West Indies cultivate a feeling of allegiance to the Caribbean side.

"I believe the first thing we need to do is explain to you why you should be playing for the West Indies and what West Indies cricket means to us as Caribbean people.

Australia has taken that action. Cricket players in Australia and England are not only paid more money. We haven't done that, he added, and that's how they have that kind of commitment to the sport in their nation.

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