By TL Neckles

By any measure, West Indies cricket is standing at a historic inflection point. The men’s T20 team—once the most feared, most charismatic, most revolutionary force in the format—now finds itself rebuilding after years of inconsistency, administrative missteps, and the gravitational pull of global franchise leagues.

And yet, in the middle of this rebuilding effort, Cricket West Indies (CWI) has made a revealing move: the president has publicly invited Nicholas Pooran to come out of retirement and represent the region in the upcoming T20 World Cup.

It is a decision that exposes the deeper identity crisis at the heart of West Indies cricket.
It is also a decision that deserves scrutiny.

A Star Batter, But a Symbol of a Larger Problem

Nicholas Pooran is a generational talent.
He is also a player who has made a clear, deliberate choice: franchise cricket over West Indies cricket.

He stepped down from the captaincy.
He withdrew from regional commitments.
He aligned his career with the IPL, SA20, and other leagues where the money is guaranteed, the schedules are predictable, and the politics are minimal.

No one can fault him for securing his financial future.
But we must be honest about what this means.

Pooran is not building toward the next decade of West Indies cricket.
He is building toward the next decade of his career.

So why is CWI bending over backward to bring him back?

The Short-Term Temptation

The answer is painfully simple:
CWI wants results now.

A home World Cup brings pressure—commercial, political, emotional.
Pooran is a proven match-winner.
He brings star power, ticket sales, and instant credibility.

But this is the same short-term thinking that has repeatedly undermined the region’s cricketing future.

You cannot build a house by borrowing bricks for one day.

What Message Does This Send to Young Caribbean Players?

This is the part of the conversation CWI seems unwilling to confront.

If a player can:

…then what incentive is there for young players to commit to the maroon long-term?

What does it say to the young batter grinding in regional cricket?
What does it say to the allrounder who turned down a league contract to stay loyal?
What does it say to the next generation of Caribbean talent?

It says:
Loyalty is optional. Commitment is negotiable. And the door will always be open for stars who left.

That is not a development strategy.
That is desperation.

The World Cup Is Not a One-Off Event — It’s a Cycle

If Pooran returns for this World Cup, the next question is unavoidable:

Will he be invited again for the following World Cup?

If the answer is yes, then CWI is not rebuilding.
It is simply renting talent every two years.

If the answer is no, then why disrupt the development of younger players now?

Either way, the logic collapses.

A World Cup is not a cameo.
It is the culmination of a cycle of planning, development, and team-building.

You cannot build a cycle around a player who is not part of the cycle.

The Caribbean Has the Talent — It Needs the Courage

The region is not short of gifted players.
It is short of long-term vision.

Alick Athanaze.
Shai Hope.
Akeal Hosein.
Brandon King.
Romario Shepherd.
And a wave of young talent emerging from Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad, the Windwards and Leewards.

These are the players who will carry West Indies cricket into the next decade—if they are given the opportunity, the responsibility, and the trust.

The 2026 T20 World Cup should be the moment to invest in them, not overshadow them.

CWI Must Decide What It Wants to Be

This is bigger than Nicholas Pooran.
This is about the soul of West Indies cricket.

Does CWI want to be:

A federation that chases short-term fixes?
or

A federation that builds a sustainable future?

Does it want to rely on players who treat the maroon as a part-time commitment?
or
Does it want to cultivate a generation that sees West Indies cricket as a calling, not a cameo?

Right now, the signals are mixed.
And mixed signals never build strong teams.

A Path Forward That Honors Both Excellence and Commitment

A more principled approach would be:

The Caribbean deserves a team that reflects its future, not its nostalgia.

In conclusion: The West Indies Cannot Keep Reaching Backward to Move Forward

Nicholas Pooran is a brilliant cricketer.
But brilliance alone cannot rescue a system that refuses to invest in itself.

Inviting him back may win a headline.
It may even win a match.

But it will not win the future.

The West Indies must choose:
Will it continue patching holes with temporary stars, or will it finally build a foundation strong enough to stand on its own?

The answer will determine not just the next World Cup, but the next generation of Caribbean cricket.

By TL Neckles