KARACHI, Nov 24: Brian Lara has given team’s senior batsman and vice captain Ramnaresh Sarwan a vote of confidence ahead of the final Test in Karachi from November 27.

Sarwan, 26, was replaced for the Multan Test with Runako Morton. Lara insisted that the move wasn't "designed as a drop," and that Sarwan still had a key role to play in the future of West Indian cricket. However, it was the first time in his six-year career that Sarwan missed out due to poor form.

"First of all, let me say that Sarwan is one of the best talents of his generation, my generation and even the one before," Lara said. "He is someone we look forward to having in the team. He is a leader, he is the vice-captain of the team and we expect a lot of him. The West Indies did not invest 64 Tests in him for him to be sitting on the side.

"He will come back from this and come back stronger. It wasn't designed as a drop. We just wanted to make him aware of the situation and come back stronger. We need him and we need him to take control."

Lara wasn't willing, however, to disclose whether whether Sarwan would return for the final Test. "We have to see what the surface in Karachi will be like and then decide," he said. "Most importantly, we are 1-0 down and we want to level the series.

The team out there will be the one that can do that. We want to play good cricket. We have to come out of this game against a team that beat us in four days and put them under pressure throughout."—Agencies