'I don't want to be an average cricketer' - Oshane Thomas wants to play Test cricket to be among the greats

Despite the emergence of the T20 format, Test cricket is still regarded as the ‘holy grail’ of the sport. Any player dreams of getting a Test cap and don whites for his country in the traditional format. West Indies’ Oshane Thomas is no different as the rookie pacer believes that Test cricket is the route he needs to follow to reach his ultimate dream.

Thomas was named a reserve in West Indies’ 25-member squad for the England tour. The pacer, who has donned the national jersey in 20 ODIs and 12 T20Is, wants to play the traditional format to be considered as a ‘great’.

“I definitely want to play Test cricket; I want to do well in all three formats,” said Thomas, who is yet to step on the field while donning West Indies’ Test jersey.

“Test cricket is really the ultimate that everyone wants to play to be great. You don’t want to just be an average cricketer; you want to be among the greats,” he added.

Thomas had earned a call-up in the Test squad during last year’s home series against England. West Indies clinched the series 2-1 but Thomas failed to get a game under his belt. “I didn’t get to make my debut, but hopefully (I will) this time around,” he said.

Oshane Thomas also reflected on his performance in Sri Lanka

Besides the 11 reserves, West Indies have announced a 14-man squad to tour England next week. The series will mark the return of cricket amid COVID-19 pandemic and the Tests will be hosted in a bio-secure environment behind closed doors.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic halted the sporting scenario across the globe, Thomas had braced the field against Sri Lanka in the two-match T20I series. West Indies stunned Sri Lanka 2-0 in the T20I series and Thomas grabbed the limelight in the first match by scalping a five-wicket haul.

“Coming back from the Sri Lanka tour — a good series (and taking) a five-wicket haul and then the pandemic just came into play and no cricket. Last week is my first week back bowling on a pitch. I had been doing some little bowling here and there.

I’m very happy to be back bowling and I’m looking forward to playing Test cricket. It’s just up to me as a person; I just need to be fit and ready, and I should be in the Test team,” said Thomas.