It doesn’t matter for Sir Vivian Richards that his country, Antigua and Barbuda, is not a big contingent like hosts India or Australia or England. Realistically the twinisland nation, lying between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, stands almost no chance

of winning a medal in the ongoing Delhi Commonwealth Games.

But all these do not deter Sir Vivian from inspiring the athletes from the Caribbean islands. After arriving in the Indian capital, the legendary cricketer, who is an ambassador and mentor of the 19-athlete contingent, has been regularly visiting all the venues where their athletes are in action in athletics, boxing, cycling, shooting, swimming and tennis.

In rotation, yesterday was Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium's turn where his countrymen were

participating in the track and field events. But the 5-foot 10 former batsman wasted no time to bat for the sport he loves most. The West Indian great urged the authorities to include cricket in the Games as only a small number of countries are playing the sport and he preferred the inclusion of the newest format.

"Like the event of Rugby, Twenty20 cricket is more exciting and I believe the spectators will enjoy it," opined Richards, who once terrorised the bowlers around the world.

He also seemed to have fallen in love with Delhi, which has been marred by pretournament fusses like dengue fever, snakes, stadium foot-bridge collapse and so on following high-ranking withdrawals of superstar athletes like Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell, and praised the state of the Games Village after hearing about it from the athletes.

"It was a fabulous opening ceremony which stunned all and India, especially Delhi, has the capability of stunning all," said Richards, who struck a monumental 192 in his debut Test in Delhi.

This is not the first time that he has been accompanying the national contingent as he was also present during the last edition of the Games in Melbourne.

Richards believes the Commonwealth Games will help India erase its 'one-sport' nation image as the Indian athletes have been doing well.