West Indies head coach Daren Sammy has acknowledged that the 25% reduction in retainer fees for men’s players, announced by Cricket West Indies ahead of the ongoing ODI series against India, hurt morale within the squad. Speaking on October 2, 2026, on the eve of the third and final ODI, Sammy was candid about the timing and its effect on the players.
Cricket West Indies announced the pay cut effective from October 2026 through September 2027. The board recorded a net loss of US$28 million for the financial year ending September 2025 and is projecting a further US$26 million loss for the 2026 financial cycle. The reduction in retainer fees was presented as part of efforts to manage the organisation’s financial position. The two-time World Cup-winning captain addressed the matter directly.
“I mean, look, as a professional, that’s not what you want to hear before a series,” Sammy told the press room ahead of the third ODI in New Chandigarh.
How did Sammy respond to the pay cut announcement before the series?
Sammy said he tried to redirect the players’ focus toward the opportunity that a series against India presented, regardless of the financial backdrop. He urged the squad to view strong performances against the top-ranked side as a way to build personal and collective value.
“Before the pay cuts, I said there is no better time to play India. You win against the best team, you get some leverage, not only for West Indies as a whole, but for you personally. Performing against India pays you back down the road. We try our best to put that there. I commend the guys for the way they put their heads down. Yes, the results have not gone [our way]. But we keep improving in certain areas,” Sammy added.
What did Sammy identify as positives and areas for improvement?
Despite the results not going West Indies’ way in the series, Sammy pointed to specific batting performances as encouraging signs. He highlighted that four batters had scored centuries across the first two ODIs, which he regarded as a meaningful indicator of progress. He also noted the team’s intent and ability to rotate the strike against spin as areas where the side had shown development.
“Intent is something that we’ve spoken about in the dressing room. We have had four batters scoring 100s in two games. It is a positive for us. The rotation of strike, the intent, especially against spin — these are the key performance indicators that we take,” the former all-rounder expressed.
However, Sammy was clear that the bowling unit needed to sharpen its execution. The coach indicated that consistency with the ball remains a priority for the West Indies heading into the final ODI.
“But we still need to find ways, when the pitch is not really offering any assistance to the bowlers, to be disciplined in our lines and lengths and the plans that we put in,” he concluded.
