Carl Hooper

Carl Hooper was appointed in March 2001 as the West Indies captain for the 2001 home series against South Africa - a comeback that was not without its controversy.

Date of Birth: 15 December 1966

Bowling Style: Off-spin

Batting Style: Right-handed

Test Debut: vs India in 1987

ODI Debut: vs New Zealand in 1987

Profile:

Carl Hooper was appointed in March 2001 as the West Indies captain for the 2001 home series against South Africa - a comeback that was not without its controversy. Having suddenly quit international cricket on the eve of the 1999 World Cup, detractors felt he should not have been given the job. But Sir Carl or Hoops, as he is affectionately called, has thus far lived up to the selectors' expectations.

Carl was quoted as saying back in January 2001, during the Busta Cup championship in Barbados, that improving his record and helping young players in the region were among reasons for his decision to come out of retirement and seek to regain a place in the West Indies team.

His team has since won their first away series in years, during their tour of Africa, and he has been a positive example exhibiting good leadership skills to his young teammates.

As captain of Guyana, he dominated the 2001 Busta Cricket Series. He amassed a record 954 runs including four centuries, captured 25 wickets and led his side to the inaugural final of the Busta Shield which they conceded to Jamaica by virtue of losing on first innings.

Hooper, who returned to regional cricket in the 2000 Red Stripe Bowl after residing in Melbourne with his Australia-born wife, Connie, and son, Carl Jr., replaced Jimmy Adams, whose tenure ended after an ill-fated 12 months during which West Indies suffered heavy losses in successive rubbers to England in England (3-1) and Australia in Australia (5-0).

Hooper was vice-captain to Lara for the 1998-99 tour of South Africa that was preceded by the players' revolt at Heathrow Airport and ended in a 5-0 whitewash in Tests and 6-1 defeat in the limited-overs series.