(SPORTSMAX) West Indies bowling coach Roddy Estwick does not believe there should be any doubting the talent of all-rounder Keemo Paul but believes it is crucial to see the player getting more red ball cricket under his belt.
The 24-year-old Paul has been included in a 15-man Test squad to face New Zealand this month. The player was previously invited for the team’s tour of England but along with Darren Bravo and Shimron Hetmyer, declined to participate for health reasons.
His selection has not been entirely without controversy, with some believing the player to be too inconsistent to play Test cricket, particularly with the way he bowls. Estwick believes, however, that a few of those inefficiencies come down to not playing the format enough.
“Keemo is very talented player, obviously he hasn’t played first-class cricket for a while because he has been with the West Indies and on the T20 circuit. It’s good to have him back to see where he is at. We have two first class games coming up to see where he is at,” Estwick told members of the media.
“We know the talent of Keemo Paul there is no doubt about that, a wonderful talent player. He reminds me of someone like the late Keith Boyce from Barbados who represented the West Indies. Very athletic fielder, good mover, excellent timer of the ball,” he added.
“Remember Keemo is only 24 so it’s about how hard you work and how much preparation you put in. Once Keemo can do that and he can get first class cricket under his belt, there is no doubt about his talent. The last time he played a full first-class season he got 40-odd first-class wickets.”
