00:00The game of cricket is changing and players need to learn to adapt.
00:05That's the perspective coming from former West Indies captain Karen Pollard.
00:09He believes the players can tap into their strengths in all formats, but they need to master their base skills.
00:16Look at Shai Hope now, right?
00:19Did we think that he will be a formidable tee to any cricketer?
00:26If you're thinking back then, we'll say no.
00:28We'll talk about the strike rates.
00:30We had all these discussions when we were in West Indies team at different times about the strike rates and
00:35this and that.
00:35But he was playing a role.
00:37But eventually, now over a period of time, you evolve.
00:40You master his game first, and then you evolve.
00:44So if you're looking to just get into there because that's the way, you'll struggle.
00:49You have to master your strength.
00:51He says it's not as simple as scoring runs and taking wickets.
00:55He believes the sledging should be seen as part of the game.
00:58And the younger players need to embrace that it happens and prepare themselves to be able to respond to it
01:04by being tough.
01:06The point that I'm making to you is that they're coming.
01:09They're coming.
01:10Then I go, we're going to play against Jamaica, right?
01:13And the attack is Jermaine Lawson, Jerome Taylor, Darren Powell, and Alpert.
01:22I'm 18 years of age.
01:24And Tamar Lambert, a skipper, a healer.
01:27And weaver lines.
01:29Mm-hmm.
01:29Right?
01:30And these guys, get him, lager.
01:35And he had to fight.
01:37But I didn't allow that to shoot me.
01:40I used that to build me.
01:44And then, after the game, after the day's play, all these guys who are doing all these things and saying
01:51all these things, sit in there and you as a youngster chatting and teaching you.
01:56And that's how you learn the game of cricket and you learn the art of being tough.
01:59He says on-field taunts by other players should not be taken personally, but rather it is a tactic used
02:06by teams to get a mental edge on players.
02:09Pollard emphasized that it's a tactic that should be embraced by the upcoming generation of players, but he added it
02:16has not been the case.
02:18But now, let me tell Carlos something, I'm using Carlos as an example.
02:23Carlos now walking through the hotel after that and not even looking in my direction.
02:26He doesn't even want to speak to you because he's so hurt, offended, and offended.
02:32This is the generation now.
02:36But hopefully, and again, when I say hopefully, fingers crossed, you know, we get past that hood and guys get
02:42to understand the importance of sport, being a professional, things that you have to do.
02:47Because we want to see, and I use our cricketers, we want to see our cricket get back to where
02:53it's supposed to be.
02:53But there's a lot of work to be done on that from one aspect.
02:57This is Sergio Dufo, TV's Export.
