'Going to stay quiet': Andre Russell on WI coach Phil Simmons' comments about players not prioritising playing for country

West Indies star all-rounder Andre Russell has hit back at head coach Phil Simmons after the former opener accused the Caribbean players for not prioriotising international cricket.

Simmons expressed his disappointment even as the board struggles to home in on their best squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup, with most cricketers either playing franchise league elsewhere or out injured.

"It hurts. There's no other way to put it. But what can you do? I don't think that I should be begging people to play for their countries. I think if you want to represent West Indies, you will make yourself available," Simmons was quoted as saying earlier.

Russell took to Instagram to express his views, “I know this was coming but am gonna stay quiet!!!”

Meanwhile, Sunil Narine, in an interview with ESPNcricinfo’s Cricket Monthly, talked about “behind-the-scenes stuff”, thereby hinting that the atmosphere in the West Indies camp may not be healthy.

"There's a lot of behind-the-scenes stuff going on, which I don't really want to get into, but I mean, everybody would love to represent their country. It's a hard thing watching them knowing that you want to be part of it and you're not part of it,” Narine added.