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In a significant indicator to the future, Wavell Hinds has been named West Indies' vice-captain on its current tour of Bangladesh.

It is an undisguised hint that the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) had identified the 26-year-old Jamaican left-handed opener to take over as captain when Carl Hooper, ten years his senior, leaves the scene.

"He's an independent thinker and a strong personality," was the assessment of Ian Bishop, the former West Indies fast bowler who captained Hinds on the West Indies "A" team to Bangladesh and India in late in 1998 and who has followed him lately in his new role as television analyst.

"He has his own views on the game and won't be swayed by majority opinion," Bishop added.

President Reverend Wes Hall announced last month that the WICB would organise leadership courses next year for some of its younger players. Ramnaresh Sarwan, Chris Gayle, Marlon Samuels and Ryan Hinds are likely to be others included.

With Hooper now 36 and present vice-captain Ridley Jacobs 35, it is clearly time for a younger man to be given the responsibility of leadership.

After coming through the system by representing West Indies at Under-19 and "A" team level, Hinds has played 28 Tests since his debut against Zimbabwe in Port-of-Spain in 2000 and 64 One-Day Internationals. But he is yet to lead Jamaica, who have retained 31-year-old Robert Samuels as captain over the past three seasons.

West Indies have appointed experienced players as vice-captain in the last few years – Sherwin Campbell, Brian Lara and Jacobs – rather than promote one of the emerging youngsters.

Now Hinds has been officially endorsed and could find himself as captain of the West Indies team of the future within the next couple of years.

© Barbados Nation