Sammy wants West Indies to build on winning momentum
Daren Sammy is hoping West Indies can build on their recent success by producing another strong performance against Pakistan.
Head coach Daren Sammy is targeting a strong showing in the upcoming Test series against Pakistan as West Indies looks to climb the ICC World Test Championship standings.
Since taking charge, Sammy has faced a challenging run of fixtures against the likes of Australia, India and New Zealand. However, he believes the recent series victory over Sri Lanka can serve as the catalyst for a turnaround as West Indies aim to build momentum
"Look, everything is a process. When I took on this job, when I look at the first three Test series we had: Australia here in difficult conditions, West Indies in India, West Indies in New Zealand. Phew! That was three really challenging ones," Sammy said ahead of the first Test against Pakistan.
“And also the players would have had to get the opportunities to fine-tune the team and have them gel well together.
West Indies' 1-0 home Test series victory over Sri Lanka has provided a strong boost, but Sammy insists his side is not getting carried away by the result. Instead, the head coach is focused on the bigger picture, with his priority being the team's long-term development.
"We could see some light coming through, especially with the Sri Lanka series. Now we have Pakistan," he added.
"So, for me, my process has always been simple: understand what the direction we want to go, with my conversations with the director, conversations with the captain and the players, and how we go about doing it. So if you see me looking calm all the time, it's because I understand what we as a group are trying to do and not the noise from the outside."
The opening Test against Pakistan will also be West Indies' first since the passing of Sir Garfield Sobers, and Sammy hopes his side can produce a performance worthy of the legendary all-rounder's legacy.
"We just lost a great one in Sir Garry. What he contributed to the Test game... because of him, we got so many followers, so many lovers of cricket. He contributed so much to that," Sammy said.
"So throughout this series, we'll be playing, trying to honour his legacy and trying to put in performances that he would be proud of."