Sammy Aims To Captain With Passion And Energy

Sammy Aims To Captain With Passion And Energy

"One thing I know for sure is I want to bring lots of energy. I don’t think I could be on a cricket field, despite what’s happening, and not show that fighting spirit and that passion."

©Action Images / Craig Brough

New West Indies captain Darren Sammy is aiming to lead with passion and energy as he bids to lead his side back up the rankings in world cricket.

Sammy, who has been appointed as captain replacing Chris Gayle, told a media conference in Kingston, Jamaica:

“One thing I know for sure is I want to bring lots of energy. I don’t think I could be on a cricket field, despite what’s happening, and not show that fighting spirit and that passion,” Sammy said at his first media conference as West Indies captain.

“One of the guys who has a lot of energy is (Dwayne) Bravo so I have to bring him with me and all the other guys in order for us to reach at our goal,” he added.

Sammy identified meeting the high expectations of the West Indies supporters as a big challenge, and added that he believes he will have the full support of his players.

“My biggest challenge would be to get the team to bring the results the West Indies people want. It is going to take time, we will not get the results right away, everything takes time.

“Chris (Gayle) has publicly said that he would support me and the team and that in any way possible he will help so I have full confidence that the senior players will do what they have to do.

“Any cricketer who is committed to West Indies cricket will go out there and give the best for the team and support whoever is in charge. My relationship with all the players over the years has been good and I don’t see any reason why it shouldn’t continue."

Coach Ottis Gibson backed the decision to appoint Sammy as captain and is confident he will do an excellent job.

"From what I have seen of Darren Sammy for the short time that I’ve been here I’m sure (he) will do an excellent job and will always give of his best," he said.

"Darren Sammy as a cricketer and as a leader always plays with passion. Any time you talk about Darren Sammy you talk about the fact that he looks like he has got passion for the game. We’ve put somebody who shows that passion in place as the leader. Hopefully when he leads he continues to lead in that way.

"What we don’t want is for him to get the job and change the way he is. I said to him already that he must be his own man and make sure that we as management will take as much stress off him so he can do his job."

Sammy's first assignment is a tough one - a Test, One-Day International and Twenty20 International tour of Sri Lanka that gets underway in November.

© Cricket World 2010