WHY LARA’S RETURN IS NOT A GOOD IDEA

Brian Lara is arguably one of the greatest batsmen of all time. In his heyday there few who could electrify a crowd like he could. His skill was sublime, his arrogance unprecedented, his run-getting unmatched. When he walked away from Test cricket in 2006, he left a gaping hole in an already wounded sport in the region. His 11,953 Test runs inclusive of 34 Test centuries and 48 half centuries and scored at an average of 52. 88 are the best ever figures compiled by a West Indian batsman.

The world was now left to look back in awe at a man whose career meant so much to so many at a time when West Indies cricket was rapidly losing relevance. This became increasingly evident in his last World Cup campaign when not even he was able to inspire a lacklustre West Indies team, forcing the master batsman to go out in whimper.

But at least we had his great legacy to fall back on.

Earlier this month Lara announced his intenti0n to make a return to the sport that made him great. He announced that he wanted to join a team in the Indian Premier League and was working on his fitness. A couple weeks later it was announced that Lara was among a pool of players who would be attracting a minimum bid of US$400,000. Such is the greatness of the man that four years after his retirement and just a few months shy of his 42nd birthday, he would still command so much value for an IPL franchise.

My fear is that because all of this is all on paper, no one is yet able to see that Lara runs the risk of tarnishing his great career. Twenty20 cricket is a faster version of any form of cricket Lara played at the height of his career. Mind you, his T20 career is not bad; 99 runs from three innings at an average of 33.33 is right up there with the best, but that was when he was actively playing cricket.

It has been four years, the standard of play in T20 is higher now than it has ever been. Lara’s hand-eye coordination is not what it was, neither is his footwork. We all saw that as he career wound down four years ago. I am sure he still itches to play but sometimes its best to stay away.

Just recently Azim Bazzarath President of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board said he had invited Lara back to play but due to prior commitments Lara was unable to take him up on his offer. The question I ask is why? There is no doubt that Lara’s presence in any team would boost its confidence, but in reality he stands a very huge chance of failing and what then?

His return also robs a youngster of much potential of finding his way into the Trinidad team and then making a name for himself. Who knows if the next bright star is only an inning away?

The way I see it Lara has everything to lose and nothing to gain, neither does cricket in the region or the world. We enjoyed Lara’s cavalier batting while his career lasted but now that he has stepped away he needs to stay there.