Lara urges broader, inclusive approach to reviving West Indies cricket

West Indies cricket legend Brian Lara has called for a more expansive and inclusive approach to addressing the long-standing challenges facing regional cricket, stressing that solutions must go beyond tactics and team selection.

In a statement issued today, Lara said it was an “honour” to contribute to the future of West Indies cricket, particularly during what he described as a pivotal period for the sport. However, he argued that the issues undermining the game are “deeply rooted in cultural, psychological, and structural shifts” that have evolved over the past two decades.

Lara urged the involvement of former players such as Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, and Kieron Pollard, whose recent playing experience and generational proximity to current athletes give them “an authentic understanding of what drives, distracts, or disillusions the modern West Indian cricketer.” He also pointed to the insights of Sunil Narine and Andre Russell, whose careers have spanned both international duty and global franchise cricket.

“This is about understanding mindset — how today’s players think, what they value, and what truly motivates them,” Lara said, adding that the deficit in motivation must be addressed “not with judgment, but with clarity and empathy.”

He emphasised that meaningful change will require “collective wisdom, not isolated intervention,” with a deeper pool of experience informing strategies to reconnect performance with purpose.

“The time to act is now,” Lara concluded. “But we must act together.”