West Indies’ rising Test star Shamar Joseph is causing a stir in the cricketing world, particularly in the T20 context, following his sensational performance against Australia. The coach, Daren Sammy, finds himself in a selection dilemma as Joseph’s outstanding display, taking seven wickets for 68 runs in the historic Test victory at the Gabba, puts him in contention for the upcoming T20 World Cup.

While Joseph has limited exposure to T20 cricket, having played only two matches without claiming a wicket, his Test heroics have thrust him into consideration for the shorter format. Sammy, who serves as the West Indies’ white-ball coach, expressed confidence in Joseph’s potential, envisioning him as an all-format player.

“He will definitely be an all-format player. I can’t wait to get my hands on him in this squad. But look, everything has a process to it. That’s the way myself and the chairman of selectors operates. What he’s done, he’s created a really good headache for me with the World Cup coming up, building forward in the ODI team,” Darren Sammy stated.

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Discussing Joseph’s omission from the initial white-ball squads for the ODI and T20 series against Australia, Darren Sammy highlighted the talented cricketer’s remarkable performance, leading to discussions about his potential inclusion. However, Joseph decided to return home to recover from a toe injury sustained during the Gabba Test, celebrating his success with his family.

Darren Sammy emphasized the importance of letting Joseph enjoy his triumph, acknowledging that victories like these are rare. He stressed the significance of savouring such moments, considering it a motivating factor for future accomplishments.

“We ride the wave that’s happening there, but we won’t go crazy. If the guy’s injured, let him go home and rest. That’s probably the first time he’s been away from home for so long. He’s got a young family. So we understand. Whatever we do is well-planned and well thought out,” Darren Sammy commented.

Despite missing the limited-overs series against Australia, Joseph is set to participate in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) for Peshawar Zalmi. Sammy remains optimistic that Joseph’s extraordinary performance will inspire the inexperienced ODI squad in their upcoming matches against Australia.

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“When somebody performs like that, the team rises, and it was so good to watch. You see the smile on my face every time you go back to that, and I just hope my men – whenever challenges come, you can just remember that if you push through, there’s always gold at the end of the rainbow,” Darren Sammy concluded.