| London, May 15(ANI): Former England spinner Phil Tufnell believes the West Indies team is heading for tough times during the three-match Test series against England due to the absence of key players in the Test team who have opted to play for the money spinning Indian Premier League. Tufnell has claimed absence of batsman Chris Gayle, spinner Sunil Narine and all-rounders Kieron Pollard, Andre Russell and Dwayne Bravo due to their IPL commitments is a worrying sign for Windies cricket. "It's going to be disappointing for us this summer not seeing these guys coming over and playing in the Test matches because they are half the side they would be with them," The Sun quoted Tufnell, as writing in his new book Tuffers' Cricket Tales. "I remember the days when your best XI from the Caribbean went out and played the Test matches, and it was always a delight to see. It does feel a little bit second hand now in some respects," he added. Tufnell said he wouldn't like young cricketers to take wrong cues from such examples, and start growing up to become T20 cricketers. "The likes of Pollard, Bravo and Gayle in the Test side just makes it a hell of a lot more exciting for the paying punter. There are obviously reasons for it and they've got to get it sorted out but that's why I worry a little bit for the Test match game," Tufnell wrote. "You don't want all the talent just going where the money is. Test match cricket gets forgotten a little bit. I don't want to see young cricketers growing up wanting to be a T20 cricketer. I think you've got to grow up to want to play Test cricket and T20 cricket," he said. (ANI) |