Georgetown (Guyana), Feb 5 (IANS): Batting legend Alvin Kallicharran wants to see more regional coaches involved in West Indies cricket, and believes this will be essential to any revival.

The former captain Wednesday argued that West Indian coaches would be better able to communicate with regional players, and pointed out that outstanding former players were best suited for these coaching roles, reports CMC.

"Coaches should have to communicate with environment. The coaches we need must be involved in the environment that (has) produced,” Kallicharran said.

"They must know how the West Indian people operate, how to handle them and that’s what we need (to know) - how to handle our own people.

"And don’t tell me the people who made West Indies cricket successful, that they can’t be coaches."

The West Indies are currently without a head coach, ever since former Barbados and West Indies fast bowler Ottis Gibson parted ways with the West Indies Cricket Board last August.

Prior to Gibson’s appointment, the West Indies were coached by Australians John Dyson and Bennett King.

Kallicharran said one of the keys, however, to unlocking the potential in West Indies cricket was a return to grassroots cricket.

"We want to see the West Indies in a winning way again but you have to go back to grassroots cricket and you will see what you get,” the 65-year-old said.

"That’s all you need. And don’t tell me there are no facilities for us to produce cricketers."

Kallicharran remains a celebrated figure in West Indies cricket history, playing 66 Tests and gathering 4,399 runs at an average of 44.

An elegant left-hander, he plundered over 32,000 first class runs, with 87 centuries and an average of 43.