Windies to debate taking the knee during England Test series

With the Black Lives Matter campaign gaining momentum around the world, sports teams also have started taking the knee (kneeling) – a gesture to show solidarity with the movement. West Indies, who will play a three-Test match series against England that starts next month, will debate whether to take the knee during the series, said captain Jason Holder.

The West Indies team arrived in Manchester earlier this week even as anti-racism demonstrations swept across England after the police killing of George Floyd in the United States of America.

"What has happened recently has impacted the world and the response from people around the world has been tremendous," said Jason Holder.

"You must acknowledge it and protesting or standing up for what you believe is seen as noble and courageous and something I myself would never sit and disapprove of."

The Windies skipper further added, "It (taking a knee) will definitely - probably - be discussed amongst us and we'll decide how we'll go forward as a team with it.”

"I just want to make sure whatever we do, if we do anything, that it is done the right way."

Holder added: "Who knows? This could be something serious we could build on and we could get some real positive energy through the group."

Earlier former West Indies captain Daren Sammy alleged that he was subjected to racism in the Indian Premier League as he had been addressed with an offensive nickname.

Holder did not comment on Sammy’s experience but agreed that racism was prevalent around him.

"I haven't had any personal experience of racial abuse in cricket. But I would be foolish to sit here and say that racism is not prevalent," he said.

"It is a crime throughout the entire world and something that will probably be an ongoing discussion way past our lifetimes. For me the greatest thing at the end of the day is unity, I just want equality to excel, so we can have less fighting, less killing, less adversity in society, concluded the 28-year-old.