Lara urges current WI batsmen to step up

Lara said the West Indies, which will start a three-match Test series against England on August 17, must find a way to transfer the talent at youth level to senior level.

“Everybody has talent. I say it all the time that the West Indies youngsters have the most talent in the world. What they make of that talent from their teenage life to playing international cricket (is the question). Bridging that gap is all (about) your commitment, your mental strength,” Lara said yesterday, at the Mr Lara’s 400* Pop-up Lounge and Memorabilia Museum, located at the Corner of Sweet Briar Road and Elizabeth Street in St Clair (directly opposite the Trini Posse stand at the Queen’s Park Oval).

The former West Indies captain said when a batsman performs early in their career the opposition will find a way to workout a plan to get you out.

“We have a lot of examples where guys come out in the early part of their Test career, perform very well and all of sudden just fall to the wayside. When you come up against international competition, talent is only 10 or 15 percent. Everyone around the world has talent, who has that mental fortitude to go out there and keep performing day in day out to raise the bar all the time (will succeed). The minute you become a name everyone is gunning for you. If you don’t raise the bar and stay a step ahead you are not going to succeed.” Lara is uncertain if the West Indies batsmen try to stay ahead of the competition. “We have a lot of talent like (Kraigg) Brathwaite, (Kyle and Shai) Hope, but I just wonder if they are thinking of staying a step ahead of the opposition.

That’s the most important part and if you don’t they are going to work you out.” Lara used his former West Indian teammate Shivnarine Chanderpaul as an example of someone who consistently worked on his game. “If you look at Chanderpaul in the practice net back in the day.

He would bat his 20 minutes in the nets, then he will go spend another hour somewhere else taking a hit just trying to stay a step ahead of the opposition.” Chanderpaul and Lara had a number of memorable partnerships for the West Indies. Chanderpaul was Lara’s partner when the latter broke the Test batting record for the first time in 1994.