Three years after sacking, Phil Simmons returns as Windies coach once again

10/15/2019

Phil Simmons has been appointed as the Head Coach of the Windies by Cricket West Indies (CWI) for four years, after being first sacked back in 2016 controversially due to paymasters problem. He had enjoyed tremendous success with the Windies, as they won the 2016 T20 World Cup under his coaching.

Simmons was sacked three years ago due to the difference of opinion between the board hierarchy and the coach despite their emphatic World T20 win over England in the final. His T20 record as a coach was great but his Test record did not back-up for him. He won just one out of the fourteen Tests that West Indies played when he was last their Head Coach. CWI feels that it was unfortunate for Phil Simmons to be sacked back in 2016 after his coaching led the Windies to the T20 World Cup triumph. The board was keen on rectifying the mistake that had been made under the previous administration.

"Bringing Phil Simmons back is not just righting a past wrong, but I am confident that CWI has chosen the right man for the job at the right time," said CWI president Ricky Skerritt to TOI.

Simmons' sacking was also due to the stringent relations that he and the cricket authorities of the previous committee had. He believed that there was constant interference by the officials in team selections, something that he complained about, especially in the Sri Lanka series of 2015. This did not go down well as he was reprimanded and after resisting it, he was sacked the next year.

With a new board that understands the contribution that Phil Simmons has done for West Indies cricket, it seems like better days for them lie ahead.