BATTING LET US DOWN: West Indies stars' inconsistency frustrates coach Sammy

West Indies wicketkeeper-batsman Amir Jangoo faces an uncertain future for the opening Test against Pakistan, following an injury picked up during the recent One-Day International series against New Zealand. Head coach Darren Sammy confirmed that Jangoo's availability remains a concern as the team transitions to the Test format, with the first match scheduled to begin on Saturday.

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I think when you see someone like Hettie (Shimron Hetmyer) play like that and you see Sherfane (Rutherford) play like that, you tend to ask yourself why is it not more consistent?

Reflecting on the just-concluded five-match ODI series, which West Indies lost 3-2, Sammy lamented the team's persistent inconsistency with the bat. Despite a consolation victory in the fifth ODI, where Shimron Hetmyer and Sherfane Rutherford showed encouraging form, Sammy questioned the team's ability to produce such performances consistently. "For me it is always a constant battle as to when are they going to be consistent, when do we stop giving opportunities?" Sammy stated, acknowledging the immense talent within the squad.

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For me it is always a constant battle as to when are they going to be consistent, when do we stop giving opportunities?

Sammy was particularly pleased with the strong finish from left-handers Hetmyer and Rutherford, who struggled earlier in the series. He praised Hetmyer's mature innings in the final match, noting that such performances are what fans and the region desire to see more regularly. "The way he played with such maturity. I am pretty sure not only me but the entire region, West Indies fans, (innings like that) you want to see more consistently," Sammy added.

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The way he played with such maturity. I am pretty sure not only me but the entire region, West Indies fans, (innings like that) you want to see more consistently.

Despite salvaging the final match, Sammy felt the 3-2 series scoreline did not accurately represent the competitiveness of the encounters. He pointed to several missed opportunities throughout the series, particularly highlighting the batting's failure to capitalize when setting totals. "The batting really did let us down, especially batting first," he assessed, suggesting that the team's inability to post commanding scores proved to be a significant factor in the series defeat.

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Three-two is not a fair result at all.