Darren Bravo has huge Lara shoes to fill

NEW DELHI - Darren Bravo is carrying a huge weight of expectations. The left-hander’s style is likened to none other than legendary Brian Charles Lara, his second cousin, but the comparison doesn’t burden him. He would rather enjoy his cricket and give his best in the upcoming World Cup.

Bravo, half-brother of more experienced campaigner Dwayne, is regarded as the next big thing of the West Indian cricket which is past its starry days and now a mere flash of brilliance is also looked upon highly.

But the 22-year-old insists Lara’s are too big shoes to fill and he is still learning the ropes.

“We all know what Lara is to cricket and what he has done all around the world. He is my role model and inspiration. I try and remain in touch with him whenever possible,” Bravo said after the practice session of the West Indies here Saturday.

As member of the West Indies squad for the World Cup, Bravo knows the importance of the big stage but at the same time he is keeping his feet on the ground.

“It is a dream come true for me. I want to enjoy the moment. There is a lot of hype around the World Cup. You know this is a big stage where if you can perform it will be recognised,” he said.

“For me, the first and foremost thing is to get into the starting XI and then give the best for the team. I just want to go out there, enjoy my batting and make contrubution with the bat.”

Bravo said he talks to the senior batsmen in the team for their advice on the game.

“I talk to experienced guys in the team like Shivnariane Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan about batting. I try to follow their advice and use it in the best possible way.”

“Whenever I play against an international side, I try to talk to some of the players and learn from them. I had a decent conversation with Ashish Nehra when India came to the West Indies,” he recalled.

Bravo said playing in subcontinental conditions will not be a big problem.

“I was here for the Champions League in 2009 so I am a bit used to the conditions. It is much like the conditions in the Caribbean.”

“Ours is a young side. We are a confident team. Back home people are not giving us much chance here. But we know that if we play together and if we play as a team, we can have good results.”