Shivnarine Chanderpaul Deserves Sachin Tendulkar-Like Exit, Brian Lara Tells West Indies Selectors

Shivnarine Chanderpaul's unceremonious sacking from the West Indies squad for the upcoming Test series against Australia did not go down well with legendary batsman Brian Lara, who has launched a stinging attack on the Caribbean selectors.

Chairman of the West Indies Cricket Board's selection panel, Clive Lloyd, had explained the need for the 40-year-old Chanderpaul to make way for younger players in the team. Even coach Phil Simmons wanted the left-handed star batsman out. ('Chanderpaul not treated shabbily')

However, Lara took the selectors to task and said the West Indian selectors should have taken a more measured stand and given Chanderpaul the respect he deserved. The Guyana run-machine made his debut in 1994 and was among West Indies' most celebrated batsmen for over two decades. (Chanderpaul refuses to retire after Test axe)

"This has absolutely nothing to do with runs or numbers," Lara told the Trinidad and Tobago Guardian. "It has to do with respect and Chanderpaul has earned the right to say goodbye in an acceptable way. In fact, he should be allowed to do it in his own way.

"The manner in which they deal with their players is despicable and should no longer be tolerated. When you look back to so many of our heroes and the manner in which they were dumped, it makes you shudder."

Lara felt the WICB should have taken a leaf out of BCCI's book, which had organised a farewell series for Sachin Tendulkar. The highest run-scorer in history bowed out after playing his 200th Test match against the West Indie in his hometown Mumbai amid much fanfare in November 2013.

Chanderpaul, Tendulkar's contemporary for most of the 1990's and the noughties, seems to be a lot less fortunate.

"They (BCCI) organised a Test series in his (Tendulkar's) honour and gave him a farewell in keeping with his contribution to the game.

"And whether he makes a double-century or a duck, it doesn't matter, it will be his farewell series and the entire cricketing world will know that. He deserves it. The WICB and the Caribbean owe it to Shiv to send him off with dignity and respect. He has earned it."

Chanderpaul (11867 runs from 164 Tests) is within touching distance of eclipsing Lara's 11953 runs from 131 matches. But at 40, Chanderpaul may not ever get the chance to eclipse the country's most successful Test match batsman.