Cricket icon Brian Lara made a special appearance in the West Indies dressing room following the second day of the Test match against India in Delhi. The visit came after a challenging day for the Caribbean team, who are currently on a tour of India. This follows their swift defeat in the first Test in Ahmedabad, with India firmly in control of the ongoing second Test.
India posted a formidable first-innings total of 518/5 declared, thanks to brilliant centuries from captain Shubman Gill and opener Yashasvi Jaiswal. While the West Indies showed promise in their batting response, their innings faltered in the middle order, resulting in a loss of wickets. They finished the day at 140/4, still trailing by 378 runs.
Lara, alongside fellow legend Viv Richards, is currently in India on a mission to assist Cricket West Indies in securing crucial funding for the revival of their long-form game. While he didn’t address the entire squad, Lara spent approximately 20 minutes speaking with coach Darren Sammy, captain Roston Chase, and a few other players. The discussions reportedly centered on the current state and future direction of West Indies cricket.
Earlier, Lara had publicly challenged the West Indies players, urging them to reflect on their passion for representing the nation. He questioned whether they truly had cricket at heart and the desire to play for the West Indies. Lara emphasized that determination and passion, regardless of facilities, were key to success, drawing parallels to the commitment shown by past generations.