Brian Lara has been named as West Indies skipper for the Test series against Australia.
Is he the right man for the job?
Lara replaces Carl Hooper for the home series against the Aussies, which includes four Tests and seven one-day internationals.
Lara led the Windies to a creditable draw against Australia back in 1999 but resigned after his side were whitewashed by New Zealand.
Is his appointment the right move or a step backwards for Caribbean cricket?
This is the best thing to have happened to West Indies cricket in recent times. Who else is more equipped to inspire a young, talented batting line up than Brian Lara?
His refreshed enthusiasm for the game coupled with his talent and lateral thinking are going to go a long way in taking West Indies cricket back to the top.
Good luck Brian and welcome back
Quite frankly, Carl Hooper is not consistent enough to be able to lead from the front. His rigid thinking has cost the team dear and the Windies could very well do without him. He doesn't command a batting place anymore and it's not fair to be leaving Marlon Samuels out.
The selectors should move forward and blood the youngster Devon Smith in this series. Good luck Brian and welcome back. We look forward to another 1999.
Surya Pappu, USA
Hooper should step down. Let Chanderpaul lead as he always performs and let Sarwan be the vice captain as he will be the captain one day.
Ajit S. Gokhale, USA
I would like to point out that great captains are groomed only if faith is shown in them. Look at Australia. Border groomed Mark Taylor, who in turn groomed Steve Waugh, and so on to Ponting.
Carl Hooper has done an admirable job
So I feel Lara should be given the responsibility for three or four years to train up Sarwan as his deputy.
Anwaar Hussain, Canada
If Hooper is fit he should remain captain with Lara his deputy. Now is not the time to blood a new captain. Australia target captains of opposing teams think about the mental damage that can be done to one of the younger brigade.
Because of Sarwan's exploits in the World Cup he will be targeted anyway so to even think about it to him at this time is a no no.
Jeff Harding, England
I think Hooper should step down and give Brian Lara the captaincy to face the mighty Australia.
Carl Hooper has done an admirable job and should stay on as captain.
I think Hooper is a good captain and has to stick on! Windies need him badly! They are playing positive cricket lately and losing the captain will demoralise the rest of the team.
Hooper should stay and continue rebuilding the West Indies
Hooper is mentally weak. In the World Cup he caved in twice when we needed him the most. If we pick him, then West Indies cricket will take a step backward.
Time to invest in the future: Lara should be captain and Sarwan vice-captain. Also there should be a place on the team for the following: Samuels (for Hooper), Smith (for Hinds) and Baugh (for Jacobs).
As part of the rebuilding process, Hooper should continue as captain for the home series with Lara as deputy. Lara is more mature now and I'm sure he relishes the challenge to turn West Indies around.
If Hoops is unfit, then Sarwan should be Lara's deputy so there is a smooth transition....like Australia's.
Ken Santlal, Boston, MA USA
Yes Carl Hooper should be captain he is the best man for the job at the moment and he would give them a chance with the Australia.
Alfred Trotman, UK
Hooper is past his sell-by-date. The man for the job is Brian Lara.
George Holdipp, Bermuda
Hooper should stay as captain.
I am a huge Carl Hooper fan but I do believe its time for him to step down. Sadly his cricketing days are over. Moreover its time West Indies start rebuilding.
The ideal replacement would be Brian Lara. Should the selectors fail to persuade him the next best choice should be Chanderpaul with all his experience and talent.
Raja Singh, Toronto, Canada
I would like to see Sarwan as the Captain and Wavell Hinds as the vice captain. They should also find a place for Devon Smith in the team I think he has done enough to play on the team.
I think Hooper deserves the captaincy
We also need a new wicket keeper, now is the time I invest in our youth, we're at home.
Romanus St. Rose, St. Lucia
Ganga should be appointed. He will be at home and will get support. No way Lara. Let's look forward. Drop Hooper from the team, he has not performed or live up to his potential.
Gladstone Thompson, B.C Canada
West Indies have a lot of exciting young talent with bat and ball, I would offer the captaincy to Lara, the young guns will look up to him and he will be motivated by having a young side he can build in his image.
Antony Mao, London UK
I think Hooper deserves the captaincy. He has earned the respect of all the team players regardless of where the players come from. He is also a very good public person, his interviews prove that. When the ICC world cup started, no one gave a chance to the West Indians to do well.
Carl Hooper has done his job with great dignity and some moderate success during a very difficult transition phase. He was not to blame for the phenomenal bad luck that saw the Windies fail to make the Super Sixes despite playing so well.
Groom a successor, but let him get the credit for the revival in fortunes that we are going to se in the next couple of years.
Mark Kidger, Tenerife/U.K.
Sarwan should be made vice captain to give him the experience
It is time that Hooper exit from the scene he showed no imagination during the World Cup. In the games that mattered i.e. New Zealand and Sri Lanka along with Brain Lara they did nothing of significance. He should give way to someone else. I hope that person will bring some leadership role to the team and lead by example.
Dennis C wolfe,
A change in team is necessary and I think Chander Paul deserves to take the ownership of the captain and Carl Hopper needs to retire.
He has done a good job after taking over from Jimmy Adams but somehow lost the grip on the team during the World Cup. He is a class act and Windies should thank him for his services.
Hanif, Houston, USA
If Carl Hooper is fit to play he should be made captain to face the mighty Australians. At the same time Sarwan should be made vice captain to give him the experience for the future.
Jacobs should be overlooked as this should be his last season. Lara should only be a short-term choice against the Australians if Hooper is unfit.
Carl Hooper should continue as captain of the West Indies cricket team and a young vice-captain must be named to understudy him.
Also, we should get more news with regards to the players while on tours as to their attitude, conduct, team spirit and self motivation.
It must be noted that Carl Hooper has the potential to take West Indies cricket forward in the near future also with the wealth of experience he has accomplished over his cricketing career.
None of the other younger candidates are good enough to be guaranteed selection
Lara would be the best person for the captaincy. He is a thinking captain who is not afraid to try new things unlike Hooper. As a matter of fact Hooper still relies on Lara's advice.
I can remember four years ago what happened when he captained the side for the WI v Australia series. Furthermore Lara has matured in the past four years and should be given the captaincy (providing he wants the captaincy).
Should he decline then Jacobs should get it though it is difficult to be a wicketkeeper and captain. As much as I am a Carl Hooper fan I think he has come to the end of the road.
The WI have a few potentially good batsmen on the side line such as Marlon Samuels and Devon Smith. It is time Hooper makes way for these players so the WI can complete the rebuilding for the next World Cup.
I also think that it is time the WI start looking for a new wicket keeper since Jacobs at 36 years of age will not be around much longer.
Richard Foon, UK
I would like to see Hooper carry on with Sarwan brought in as vice captain and groomed for the future. None of the other younger candidates are good enough to be guaranteed selection. But I used to live in Georgetown, so I'm biased.
Alex Lawson, Durham