Ramnaresh Sarwan .. aiming to be mentally and physically strong for the World Cup. .- Reuters

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, (CMC):

WEST INDIES vice captain Ramnaresh Sarwan is anxiously looking to the upcoming Cricket World Cup and says his recent injuries will only serve to inspire him going in to the mega event.

The 26-year-old suffered a small hairline fracture of his right foot last December which resulted in him being sidelined for six weeks and was recently ruled out for another three weeks after damaging his thumb in a Carib Beer Series match against Barbados earlier this month.

"(I was) a bit down-spirited but that (injury) comes with the sport and you have got to accept it and move on," Sarwan said. "I have been playing a lot of cricket and I have been injury free for a while so these things do happen and I just think it tests me mentally, especially going into the World Cup. As I have said, I have accepted it and I just need to move on."

No serious injuries

Sarwan said his most recent injury, sustained after being struck on the thumb by pacer Fidel Edwards, was not serious, but needed rest to avoid further damage.

"It's just a chipped bone, it's not that bad. I could have played the game against Barbados actually but it would have been risking it," Sarwan explained.

"The doctor said the best thing to do was sit out for another two weeks which would give me the time to sit out and be fully healed."

The successive layoffs mean that Sarwan will be left with little competitive cricket prior to the start of the Cricket World Cup, especially after missing the recent four-match one-day international tour of India and most of the regional season.

He said despite the lack of cricket, he believed once he remained mentally sound, his form would not be seriously affected.

"It (the injury) would probably affect me in terms of having net sessions and stuff like that but I have had situations before where I haven't had preparations in terms of net practices," Sarwan said.

"So I think it is more or less a mental situation where I will probably have two weeks to prepare for the World Cup and I'll be looking forward to those two weeks. If I can stay mentally strong it would really help me going into the World Cup."

Key member

Sarwan has been a key member of the West Indies batting line-up in recent years. He has scored 3,724 runs at an average of 44 and more importantly, has come to be known as the player to set up West Indies victories with his solid, sensible batting.

With the Caribbean hosting the Cricket World Cup for the first time, Sarwan said the hosts had a good chance of lifting the title for the first time since 1979.

"I think we stand a very good chance. We have been very competitive over the last couple of years and I think that is a good sign for us," Sarwan noted.