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Andre Russell-Phil Simmons (Image source- Twitter)
West Indies players are always in demand in franchise-based leagues around the world. Andre Russell, the star all-rounder from the Caribbean, is one of those players. With two more high-profile T20 competitions on the horizon, quality West Indian players will be in high demand. The environment is ripe for another brawl between the players and the team administration, and, by extension, the cricket board.
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West Indies team head coach Phil Simmons and senior selector Desmond Haynes voiced their unhappiness at the lack of clarification around the absence of several players, including Andre Russell.
"It hurts. There's no other way to put it. But what can you do? I don't think that I should be begging people to play for their countries. I think if you want to represent West Indies, you will make yourself available," Simmons said.
Russell has now responded to these statements on social media in a slightly mysterious manner. He shared an Instagram post with a screenshot of ESPNcricinfo's news story with Simmons' quotation in the title. "I know this was coming but am gonna stay quiet!!!" Russell wrote in the caption.
Here is the post
View this post on Instagram
Russell hasn't played for the West Indies since the T20 World Cup in 2021. He isn't in their squad for the ongoing three-match T20I series against New Zealand either. Haynes stated that "he is unavailable because he hasn't made himself available" but he is playing in The Hundred tournament for the Manchester Originals. He was also named for UAE's ILT20, which will begin in January of next year.
Sunil Narine is also a member of the Hundred team Oval Invincibles. His last outing for the West Indies came in a T20I in August 2019. Furthermore, Evin Lewis and Oshane Thomas have not shown for their fitness tests, according to Haynes, with Lewis having inked a deal with Jaffna Kings for the upcoming Lanka Premier League season. Meanwhile, Fabian Allen has withdrawn from the team due to personal reasons.