Sammy backing young Chanderpaul to do well in India

Tagenarine Chanderpaul is set to return to Test cricket next month, when the West Indies take on India in the first Test in Ahmedabad.
Since playing his last Test in January 2024, the young left-hander’s form has dipped, and despite scoring only one fifty in his last five first-class innings, West Indies Head Coach Daren Sammy remains confident that Chanderpaul will perform well in India.
Sammy believes Chanderpaul’s style of play, and his strength against spin bowling, will be essential to the West Indies’ success when the first Test bowls off on October 2.
When asked about Chanderpaul’s recent numbers, Sammy had this to say:
“There are other factors when you select. You take number, performances, and the role required. Before Tage got injured in the Four-Day, he was averaging around 47. The opening spot during the last series is not giving us the results we want; when we look at the role required from these openers, Tage brings that character and skillset.”
“His experience and being able to play spin, he was right up there as one of the better contenders. He made a very strong case for the opening spot,” Sammy said.
Brandon King, a regular opener in white-ball cricket for the West Indies, will not be considered to open in Test cricket. According to Sammy, King has shown great promise batting at number four against Australia.
With Kraigg Brathwaite out of the picture, Sammy believes Chanderpaul is the next man in line to provide stability at the top of the order.
“Tage did have a poor first-class season, but we saw, and we spoke to him about preparation and building up the role that we want him to play. Somebody like Tage – the style and role he brings to the team is critical to our success. In the absence of Kraigg (who plays that defensive role), Tage is the next best man to play that role,” Sammy explained.
The 29-year-old Chanderpaul has played 10 Test matches so far, scoring 560 runs at an average of 32.9. He once recorded a double century against Zimbabwe, but his form has tapered since then.
With 149 first-class matches under his belt and a wealth of experience playing spin, Chanderpaul’s return to the Test arena will be crucial for the direction of his cricket career.