Same side-on stance, but Windies tourist Chanderpaul is his own man

Guyanese left-handed opening batter Tagenarine Chanderpaul, son of former West Indies captain and great Shivnarine, says being compared to his father does not bring additional pressure to his game.

Shivnarine played for the Caribbean giants from 1994 through to 2015 and is considered one of the legends of the Test game, having registered centuries against the majority of Test nations. South Africans will remember the diminutive, stylish left-handed batter well from his clashes against the Proteas. He played 164 Tests for the West Indies, aggregating 11,867 runs at an average of 51.37, while in ODIs he notched 8,778 runs in 251 games at 41.6. 

With a similar unorthodox batting stance to dad Shivnarine, standing almost square-on to the bowler as opposed to most batters who stand side-on, the 27-year-old Tagenarine is often compared to his father. And it is not only for the unique stance but also the ability to spend time at the crease in his short career so far.

The young Chanderpaul made his debut for the Windies in the first Test in Perth in 2022, receiving his Test cap from his father, teammates and world cricketing great Brian Lara. In that encounter, he scored his maiden Test half-century in his first innings while making 45 in the second.

He top-scored in each innings in the second Test in Adelaide (47 and 17), where West Indies were otherwise thumped by 419 runs.

“I try to be myself every time I go out there, and that’s what he [Shivnarine] told me as well,” Tagenarine told the Daily Dispatch while in East London with West Indies A touring team playing its second four-day game at Buffalo Park.

“I can’t be him; he achieved a lot in his playing career all over the world. Yes, whenever I go around in different countries, I get told about his records, but I don’t feel any strain.

“Every time I go out there, I don’t think about that. I keep it simple and do the best I can for the team.”

With the West Indies set to tour Australia in January, Tagenarine said he was using the three four-day games with West Indies A in South Africa as a way to earn himself a place on that tour.

“Yes, it is a great opportunity to make some runs and put my name up for the West Indies touring side to Australia, but January is far, at the moment my focus is on the job at hand,” he said.

And that current task is clinching a series win against the SA A at Buffalo Park.

The Windies A have a 1-0 lead in the three-match series after their one-wicket victory in Benoni in the first unofficial Test.

“It was good to get a win in the first game, we have to now keep the same intensity throughout the game here in East London.

“The South African guys won’t just let us secure a series win.

“They will keep on coming at us, we have to keep that in mind and try to do the basics every time we step on the turf this week,” he said.

South Africa A were on 65/1 in their second innings at the close of day two in East London, with a lead of 209 after being bowled out for 298 in their first innings. Windies A made 154 in their first innings.

The tourists won the opening game in Benoni by one wicket.