Sir Viv Richards feels England can be beaten at home

If the gems that the game of cricket has produced over the years were enlisted, the name of Sir Vivian Richards would surely be in the top tier of the chart. Known for his flamboyance on the field and his swashbuckling shots, Sir Viv was a stellar cricketer for the West Indies. In a recent interview, Richards spoke at length about his opinion on the onging Test series between the Windies and England.

The West Indies cricket team has had to face a sad demotion in terms of stature in the sporting world. They have looked hapless in the recent past and hit rock bottom when they couldn’t qualify for the Champions Trophy earlier this year. However, the legend strongly feels that England are not an unbeatable side and conveyed the same at an event staged by the Lord’s Taverners cricket charity

Sir Viv’s words of encouragement

Many may consider that West Indies are up against a much stronger side as they have not won a Test in England since 2000, while the hosts enter the series on the back of a 3-1 home Test success against the Proteas. However, Viv had some words of encouragement to offer to the Jason Holder-led side ahead of their Test series against England.

Elaborating on how he perceived the England team, Richards said, “Over the years, it’s always amazed me with England. They never win as much as they should. I look at the Champions Trophy —- there was no better team for that format but they still fell short. England have the right stuff in their teams but then they fall down at some hurdle or just don’t jump high enough. I hope the West Indies team can see that England are beatable,” he told The Times.

On the downfall of Wet Indie Cricket

He also lamented the downward-spiral that his nation’s team has had to go through in recent times. “It does hurt that the glory days have been lost. I was doing some television work during the Champions Trophy and there was no West Indies there. No West Indies. That’s like saying there would be no Chelsea or Arsenal in the Premier League. That’s how it felt,” said the legendary stroke player.

“I don’t believe that many of the players of the modern day really understand the legacy of West Indies cricket and why they are playing for West Indies and why it matters so much. Yes, we had our differences (when I was playing) but what stood us out was when we put on that maroon cap there was a real sense of pride. I want to see that return, I want to see that in this group,” Sir Viv Richards added in conclusion.