Shivnarine Chanderpaul Omission a Tough but Bold Decision by West Indies

It may not have caused quite the rancour of Kevin Pietersen's England axing, but Shivnarine Chanderpaul's omission from the West Indies squad to face Australia has certainly set Caribbean tongues wagging.

The decision to omit the 40-year-old from the 14-man party was certainly a bold one from new coach Phil Simmons and chairman of selectors Clive Lloyd, especially given that Chanderpaul is just 87 runs shy of breaking Brian Lara's record as the West Indies' all-time leading Test run scorer.

Looking purely at the numbers, it's easy to see why Lloyd and Simmons wielded the axe. In eight innings in 2015, Chanderpaul has mustered just 151 runs at an average of just 18.88. The recent series against England was especially disappointing, as he failed to pass 50 in any of the three Tests and averaged just 15.33.

Team building is about more than just data, though—just ask Peter Moores—and the decision to drop Chanderpaul has found some heavyweight critics.

Chief among them is Lara himself who thinks a final appearance against Australia would be a fitting farewell for one of West Indies cricket's most loyal servants.

Lara told the Trinidad and Tobago Guardian: “He deserves it. The WICB (West Indies Cricket Board) and the Caribbean owe it to Shiv to send him off with dignity and respect. He has earned it.”

Coach Phil Simmons is in the business of winning cricket matches rather than offering a great player a sentimental farewell, though.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the two-Test series, which starts on Wednesday (per Cricket.com.au), Simmons said: "He's had a long and illustrious career and we know that he's done a lot for West Indies cricket but at the same time when we sit down to select a team we sit down to select a team to win a game against Australia."

Ricardo Mazalan/Associated Press

Controversial it may be, but the decision to omit Chanderpaul is surely the correct one. After a tough series in South Africa and a disappointing World Cup campaign, the West Indies showed real signs of life in their recent drawn series against England.

Simmons regularly worked miracles with the Irish squad and there were hints that his magic touch could be successful in the Caribbean too. The likes of Jason Holder, Kraigg Brathwaite, Jermaine Blackwood and Shannon Gabriel gave notice that a brighter future could be around the corner for the West Indies.

One man most definitely backing the Simmons youth policy is Michael Holding. The former pace ace told ESPNcricinfo:

"

Chanderpaul has to make way for someone younger. The person that comes in obviously is not going to fill Chanderpaul's shoes immediately. He has done so much good work for West Indies. But it is time for someone younger than him who can grow into those shoes.

"

Simmons has also left the Test door ajar for Indian Premier League exiles Dwayne Bravo, Andre Russell, Kieron Pollard, Lendl Simmons and Sunil Narine.

He told the CMC press agency (per ZeeNews):

"

I hope to sit down with them and discuss my, and the selectors' vision for how we want West Indies to play Test cricket going forward and how they possibly fit into that. I can't rule anybody in or out of consideration until I do so.

"

A new-look West Indian side is certainly developing, with or without the IPL quintet. The culling of Chanderpaul is just one, albeit sad, part of that.

Dropping Chanderpaul was obviously a tough call for the selectors. Yet another off-the-field issue rumbling in the background hardly seems ideal preparation for taking on the best team in the world.

Cricketing romantics would no doubt love to see Chanderpaul given the opportunity to say a proper goodbye to the Caribbean cricket public.

International cricket is a hard business at the best of times. Doubly so against the Aussies. Tough decisions sometimes need making.

It's early days yet, but Phil Simmons could be starting to build something special. Sorry, Shiv, but he deserves the benefit of the doubt here.