Dwayne Bravo has expressed his disappointment at the absence of Kevin Pietersen from the England squad touring the Caribbean, but admitted he could understand the decision taken by the ECB to exclude him.
"I would have loved KP to be here," Bravo said. "He's a player that the world loves to see play cricket. Despite his problems, personally I love to see him play and it would have been good for us to actually play against him. It's good for international cricket to have someone of his calibre to continue playing."
But Bravo, who may well have simply been attempting to appease all parties in an argument that tends to polarise opinions, also claimed he was "not surprised" by the decision to end Pietersen's international career.
"At the end of the day, no player is bigger than the game," Bravo said. "Regardless of how good you are, there are (team) guidelines and there are rules. Whoever the player, you have to respect that.
"For me personally, I am a Kevin Pietersen fan. And I know the world is too. But that's England's issue, and I don't have to worry about it."
Bravo also has to cope without some of his leading players. Big hitting batsmen such as Chris Gayle and Kieron Pollard are both unavailable due to injury, while Kemar Roach is one of several fast bowlers - Shannon Gabriel, Jerome Taylor and Fidel Edwards are among the others - unavailable, leading Bravo to bemoan the burden carried by Caribbean fast bowlers.
"We have a lot of key players missing," he said. "We play a lot of cricket now and we play a lot on flat wickets in the Caribbean that means fast bowlers have to work a lot more. I'm just waiting for the day when we can have a fully fit squad when can pick our best XI. That day is yet to come."
But the absence of senior players has provide opportuntiy for others and, in 22-year-old Barbadian, Jason Holder, Bravo clearly spots great potential.
"Jason Holder is definitely going to be one of our best fast bowlers," Bravo said. "I wouldn't want to put too much pressure on him, but I honestly believe he is going to be the closest we shall get to Curtly Ambrose. He still has a lot to learn, but he is definitely one of our best fast bowlers."
'I'd have loved KP to be here' - Bravo
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'I'd have loved KP to be here' - Bravo
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'I'd have loved KP to be here' - Bravo
