KINGSTON – Two outstanding former West Indies players have given the thumbs down to retired batting star Brian Lara’s pending return to international competition.
The 41-year-old Lara quit international cricket almost four years ago but seems set to play in the cash-rich Indian Premier League next year after recently attracting the top bracket price of US$400 000 for the auction slated for January 8 and 9.
However, legendary fast bowler Curtly Ambrose and wicketkeeper Jeffrey Dujon said they believed Lara should remain in retirement, especially following his glorious career.
“If I was supposed to advise Brian, I would advise him to stay out. He hasn’t played any form of competitive cricket for a few years,” said Ambrose who took 405 in 98 Tests most of which were played alongside Lara.“When you reach certain heights in international sports, you can really damage your reputation quite a bit if you can’t reproduce that kind of standard. I don’t think he should come back.”
Dujon, who finished with 267 catches and five stumpings in 81 Tests between 1981 to 1991, echoed similar sentiments. “If you finish at the top, there’s only one way you can go after that if you come back, let’s face it,” said the 54-year-old who was present in the squad when Lara made his Test debut in 1990.
“I wouldn’t advise him to come back. He has had a wonderful career and he should live with those memories.”
Lara is the most prolific West Indies batsman ever with 11 953 Test runs and 10 405 runs in One-Day Internationals.
He quit international cricket abruptly following the 2007 World Cup but recently returned to action when he turned out for Masvingo Rocks in the Stanbic T20 Series in Zimbabwe last month. (CMC)
