Although he is yet to be confirmed as new West Indies captain, Ramnaresh Sarwan will go into the team's final World Cup cricket match today against England more confident he will be the new man at the helm.
According to a source, Sarwan has already been nominated by the team selectors to replace soon to be retired Brian Lara, and it is only left for approval by the West Indies Cricket Board directors.
Glowing endorsements from Lara are sure to make Sarwan's chances easier although a prior recommendation by the selectors last year was reportedly rejected by the directors.
"Sarwan is definitely a very good batsman, we have moved him down from
number three to five and he has excelled in that position", said Lara on Thursday, adding that the player has shown maturity and has been vice captain for some time.
Former West Indies ace fast bowler Michael Holding has also supported Sarwan for the captaincy in the past.
On arrival for his Man-of-the-Match media briefing after West Indies defeated Bangladesh on Thursday, Sarwan was his normal bubbly self and seemed happy to face the media, possibly with the knowledge his appointment was imminent, even though he had reiterated he was not told anything by the Board.
When Lara made his stunning retirement announcement afterwards, the captain said the team and the WICB had been previously informed.
Speculation was rife yesterday that Sarwan might start his stint earlier than expected after Lara seemed to have suffered a foot injury during yesterday's training session at the Oval after a round of football with his team-mates.
It was after the captain had an unusually, by brief round of batting practice and did not show up for his customary pre-match media briefing with head coach Bennett King filling in instead.
When the outgoing captain was seen with an ice pack on his left ankle following which photographers waited in vain to record his exit from the stadium and officials were overhead summoning medical assistance, the speculation became intense.
However, team media officer Imran Khan quelled the fears later in the afternoon, stating that Lara was fine. "He uses an ice pack on his foot everyday," he explained.
Lara, who had stated his intention to retire from limited overs competition only, after the World Cup, had a dramatic change of heart and startled the media with his latest announcement on Thursday.
The captain had dodged several questions on his future earlier in the briefing before dropping the bombshell at the end.
His 299th limited overs game today is sure to be an emotional affair for the triple world record holder who said his desire was to notch 300 during the World Cup.
Increasing pressure following West Indies' World Cup failure might have forced Lara to fast forward his decision to quit as only recently he had stated his intention was to play Tests past his 40th birthday.
Even in his native Trinidad and Tobago where he is glorified, the country's leading daily newspaper - The Express, called for Lara's removal from the team along with the resignation of the entire WICB.
King might also be having his final game today with the team after a lame duck three-year stint that saw no improvement in the performances. He is by far the highest ever paid West Indies coach and was recruited from his native Australia without any playing credentials at recognized levels of the sport. His appointment in 2004 to replace ex-West Indies player Gus Logie will go down as one of the WICB's costliest blunders.
King's performance before the media yesterday was also negligible as he frequently declined to talk about his work with the team and recommendations for the future.
He however, was keen to speak about personal matters.
"I've got a family, a wife and three children, who have followed me halfway across the world. I've got to keep their best interests in mind as well," the coach said when asked about his future outside of West Indies cricket.
Today's game is also likely to generate high emotion in the England camp as it will be the final match for longstanding coach Duncan Fletcher.
Fletcher who quit after another dismal limited overs performance by England, culminating with their early World Cup elimination here, was lauded by captain Michael Vaughn after the team's workout yesterday at Kensington.
A win for either West Indies or England will however, be of little consolation to supporters as their premature elimination after high expectations have left more questions than answers.