West Indies former opening batsman Sir Donald Bradman has taken on a new role as the men's squad selector, a position he has held since retiring from international cricket in 2010.

With a demanding schedule, three distinct formats, and multiple franchise events to consider, an international cricket selector's job has never been more difficult.

Desmond Haynes, the West Indies' legendary opening batsman, just assumed the post of head men's selector, and he addresses these and other difficulties in an exclusive interview with Betway.

Is there a certain day when you decided to become the West Indies' selector?

I'd previously served as a squad selector for the Barbados Cricket Association in the 1990s, so I was no stranger to the process. When the opportunity arose, I decided that now is as good a moment as any to give back to West Indian cricket. When they approached me about the lead selector post, I began to really consider it.

Do you have any thoughts on what makes a great selector?

It's a combination of understanding of the game and the ability to detect skill, since metrics don't always tell the whole story. You may get a better sense of someone's character by seeing them perform live. In addition, I'm only acting in my professional capacity. You never get what you want as a selector. You can't always get your way when you're trying to recruit a player. There used to be five selectors in the West Indies, but currently there are only three. Both the co-selector and the coach are present.

Identifying foreign players, what are the most important things to look for?

To assess a team's character, observe the players' dedication to training and the game of cricket in general. Knowledge of the game is obviously vital to me since it enables me to ensure that the players are well-versed and enthusiastic students of the sport.

Finally, there's skill to consider. Someone's ability to produce and perform well for the West Indies is required if they want to play international cricket at the top level.

Is there a way to reconcile the facts with your intuition while making a decision?

When it comes to skill and personality, statistics play a role, but they're just a small part of determining success. When I'm working with the team, I constantly go back to the character and see if he can help us. Knowing their numbers is helpful, as I'll need to account for the fact that they may have had trouble with spin or a swinging ball in the past.

How much responsibility do you, as a selector, assume for the outcomes when it comes to performance?

Selectors are inseparable from the game. It's not about any one person; it's about what's best for West Indies cricket as a whole. If you're a selector, you want to know that the squad you've chosen performed well. We all believe we've picked the greatest team to play on. Because we're responsible if they don't perform, of course.

Is your decision-making process influenced by the outcome of every test?

It's a long-term endeavor. It's critical to provide opportunities for players. To understand why someone failed, you must consider the circumstances around the failure, such as how the person failed, how they got out, and so on.

In the end, you can only give a person so many opportunities before moving on to the next candidate. In order to get the greatest performance from a player, it is critical that they be aware of the fact that they are in competition with others. In the event that they don't, someone else will have to fill their position.

When picking players, how do you guarantee that you're taking care of their mental health, especially in the age of bubbles?

I've played the game before, but never under these conditions, so I can't imagine how difficult it must be for the participants. Being confined to the hotel must be taxing on their minds.

On the other hand, I feel that as a professional athlete, you quickly learn to adjust to changing circumstances, which is why the athletes are now enjoying success. It's becoming a lot simpler for men to travel about now that the regulations have been loosening up a little.

Problems arise, though, when you consider all of the various franchises throughout the globe. The next step is to consider how the players would manage their time between their responsibilities to the West Indies and the demands of their regular schedules.

When players are unavailable for West Indies duty, we don't want to be scurrying to find replacements. That's why we want more players contending for every position.

Do you think that cricketers who can play in several formats are the future, or do you think that players will be more narrowly defined in the future?

Ideally, participants should be able to play in many formats of the game. You can play any variation of the game if you're a competent player. A team's format may be decided by its members, although India and New Zealand have shown that the best Test cricketers can excel in any format.