Joy resonates in his voice, but not the naive, childlike tone. It carries an echo of rediscovered happiness, amplified by the sting of past pain. "Young, untrained, disregarded," bellows Brian Lara while Shamar Joseph, an irrepressible fast bowler with a battered toe, celebrates alongside his teammates.
"This West Indies team stands tall today, West Indies cricket stands tall today," he declares following their first Test win in Australia since 1997 at the Gabba in January.
Among Lara's most moving remarks from that event were: "When you're playing in Australia, you know there will be a slight arrogance [from the Australian team]," he says. "The final day, they believed it was going to be an easy victory. I am immensely proud of these young cricketers."
History has always been significant for Lara since his childhood in Trinidad where he read books alongside picking up a bat - learning about regional icons like George Headley and Learie Constantine, the three Ws (Weekes, Walcott, Worrell), as well as Garfield Sobers.
"You're exposed to more history than just on the field in cricket," Lara notes, reflecting on his experiences growing up after Trinidad and Tobago gained independence from British rule. "It goes beyond that."
His notable performances against England have become a focal point of his new autobiography, 'Lara: The England Chronicles.' In April 1994, he broke George Headley's record for the highest Test score with an impressive innings at Lord's.
"I was meant to keep West Indies on top," Lara muses in his book, reflecting on his unfulfilled aspirations despite being a highly successful cricketer. "But I couldn't accomplish it."
However, he finds satisfaction in the fact that he brought joy and entertainment through his performances during his career - a key aspect of his legacy.
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