West Indies All-rounder Dwayne Bravo has praised the role of fellow big players Chris Gayle and Kieron Pollard in inspiring a new generation of exciting batsmen.
For decades the Caribbean has created some of the world’s most exciting stroke players, with the likes of Everton Weekes, Gary Sobers, and, later, Clive Lloyd, Viv Richards and Brian Lara charming crowds with their incredible ability to score run.
People like Pollard, Gayle, and Andre Russell have largely fallen into that mold and a new generation that includes players like Nicholas Pooran, Evin Lewis, Shimron Hetmyer, and Brandon King has followed in their footsteps.
The 37-year-old Bravo all-rounder, one of T20 cricket’s most destructive wicket players in his own right, was quick to praise Pollard and Gayle for passing the torch.
“I think these young men look up to players like Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, what these guys have done in white-ball cricket,” Bravo told Khaleej Times after leading Delhi Bulls to victory in Abu Dhabi T10 league on Friday.
“The players of the younger generation now aspire to be like them (Gayle, Pollard) you know. Before them, they had Sir Viv (Richards) or (Brian) Lara and (Shivnarine) Chanderpaul, these players and people like Gayle and (Ramnaresh) Sarwan. The young players looked up to those players, ”he added.
“But now because of Pollard, Andre Russell, Gayle, you know, you’ve seen things like Pooran, Hetmyer, Rutherford, and Brandon King.” (Sportsmax)