Trinidad and Tobago Red Force head coach Rayad Emrit has issued a clarion call to domestic cricketers, emphasizing that exceptional performances in the upcoming local club season could secure coveted spots on the national squad for the West Indies Four-Day Championships commencing in April. With the regional tournament undergoing a shortened format and a later start this year, Emrit underscored a critical window of opportunity for emerging players to stake their claim.
Despite finishing third in the 2025 championship behind champions Guyana Harpy Eagles and runners-up Barbados Pride, the Red Force management is not complacent. Emrit highlighted the importance of building a deep, competitive squad where reserve players exert significant pressure on the starting XI. ‘It is very important that your backup players are as good as your players on the field,’ Emrit stated. ‘If your reserves are very strong, then it puts a lot of pressure on the playing XI. It is good to have that headache.’
Emrit explicitly warned against mediocrity, setting a high performance threshold for national selection. He asserted that averaging below 30 in club cricket is insufficient for regional success, signaling a shift towards a meritocracy based on tangible results. ‘We are not going to settle for mediocrity… We are not going to pick guys who are averaging 20 and 25 in club cricket to represent the national team. It is not going to work like that,’ he declared.
Identifying specific talent, Emrit named several promising players on the selection radar, including Shatrughan Rambaran, Abdul-Raheem Toppin, Aadian Racha (currently with the West Indies Under-19 team), and Brendan Boodoo, another West Indies Under-19 alumnus. Their inclusion, however, is contingent upon consistent high-level performances in the National League competition set to begin in the coming weeks.
Preparations for the regional campaign are set to intensify, with training sessions scheduled to commence on January 8. The initial phase will concentrate on elevating fitness, strength, conditioning, and mental fortitude—an area Emrit believes requires significant enhancement. Reflecting on the previous season, he conceded that the Guyana Harpy Eagles possessed a superior fitness level, a competitive edge the Red Force aims to develop. Following this conditioning period, the squad will engage in net sessions and trial matches to finalize team selection.