NEW DELHI: Former West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Smith, who was part of the Champions League T10 took place in Noida, believed the future of Caribbean cricket lies in investing in youth rather than focusing solely on the present.

Smith-led Super Sonic inflicted a crushing 10-wicket defeat on RJ Mahvash's team Supreme Strikers in the grand finale to emerge champions.

Speaking to Sports Yaari exclusively, Smith light-heartedly dodged the question when asked to pick between Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli as his go-to batter in ODI cricket.

Smith admitted that West Indies cricket is not in the best of health at the moment and emphasized the need for a long-term vision.

On state of West Indies cricket

"I think it's in a state where we really need to look at the future. Right now, we're only looking at the guys who are present, which I believe is wrong. We need to start from the under-13 level, build teams, form units, and prepare them for Test cricket," Smith told Sports Yaari.

The former opener, who was part of West Indies' glorious cricketing past, suggested that nurturing young talent systematically is the only way to restore the team's former dominance.

When asked to pick his 'Fab 4' from the current generation of West Indian cricket, Smith named Shai Hope, Roston Chase, Alzarri Joseph, and Shamar Joseph, highlighting them as players capable of shaping the next era of West Indies cricket.

Kohli or Rohit in ODIs

Pressed to choose between Kohli and Rohit as the batter he would rely on in 50-over cricket for the long run, Smith laughed off the question, saying, "I don't know, I can't tell you that."

Reflecting on his own career, Smith picked his century on Test debut as the most cherished moment, recalling it as an achievement that still brings him immense joy.

On his association with CLT10

Smith also spoke highly of his association with the CLT10, revealing that he and fellow West Indian Carlos Brathwaite have even discussed the possibility of bringing the tournament to Barbados.

"I think it's a very good league. Myself and Carlos were actually talking earlier about getting it into Barbados. I hope the league owners hear me, because I think it would be a great initiative to add there," Smith signed off.