Sunil Narine will return once his confidence is back: Kieron Pollard

Kieron Pollard. Pic/AFP

West Indies T20I skipper Kieron Pollard expects all-rounder Sunil Narine to return to action once he gets his confidence back following a warning for suspect action in last year's Indian Premier League (IPL).

The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) spinner had been reported for suspect bowling action after a match against Kings XI Punjab in IPL 2020 at Abu Dhabi.

Though Narine was placed on the warning list by the IPL's suspect bowling action committee, he was subsequently cleared and also played four games in the suspended 2021 IPL season.

Narine, who hasn't played for West Indies since August 2019, is not in the national T20I side which began the five-match series against South Africa with an eight-wicket win here on Saturday.

"He (Narine) had indicated to the selectors that he might have been available after the IPL. Then, the IPL was cut short halfway through so he might not have got the necessary preparation or confidence in his action, so he indicated that he is still not ready. We'll play it by ear as we go along," Pollard told ESPNcricinfo.

Narine has been under the scanner for suspect action since 2014. Narine could have played a crucial role in the ICC T20 World Cup later this year in India or UAE but now the team might have to do without him.

On West Indies' preparations for the ICC T20 World Cup in the backdrop of the two-Test loss to South Africa in St Lucia recently, Pollard said, "Our results in ICC tournaments are good and I wouldn't want to change that. It's just that when it comes to these kinds of (bilateral) series, it's about having the guys available or not. In World Cups, we tend to get the guys we want to have playing, playing."

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