Former captain Chris Gayle has been recalled by the West Indies after more than a year out of the side for the One-day international series against England later this month. The 32-year-old, a dynamic opening batsman, is back in the squad after a 14-month dispute with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) for a three-match series starting on June 16.
Gayle, who has scored a West Indies record 19 hundreds in 228 ODIs, has not played international cricket since a defeat by Pakistan in the quarter-finals of the World Cup in March last year. A month later, Gayle criticised the WICB and current coach Ottis Gibson after being left out of a squad for a One-day series against Pakistan.
However, several meetings between the WICB and Gayle, brokered by senior Caribbean politicians, have ended the stand-off. Clyde Butts, chairman of selectors, said in a statement: "Chris is a player of proven quality and we are looking forward to him adding this dimension to the side and his contributions as a senior member of the squad."
Darren Sammy, leading the West Indies in their ongoing Test series against England, captains a side featuring several players who missed the Test campaign because it clashed with the lucrative Twenty20 Indian Premier League. One of those, Dwayne Bravo, is the vice-captain and he is included in a squad featuring fellow all-rounders Dwayne Smith, Kieron Pollard and Andre Russell.
Spinner Sunil Narine, a late addition to the Test squad after starring in the IPL, has also been selected. Test openers Adrian Barath, who have struggled in the first two Tests of a three-match series, were left out with opener Lendl Simmons included again following a finger injury that ruled him out of the home series against Australia in March. Meanwhile, Test wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin returns in place of Carlton Baugh, who played against Australia.
West Indies are currently 2-0 down in their Test series in England.
The third and final Test is due to start at Edgbaston on Thursday.
Squad: Darren Sammy (capt), Dwayne Bravo, Tino Best, Darren Bravo, Johnson Charles, Fidel Edwards, Chris Gayle, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, Denesh Ramdin (wkt), Ravi Rampaul, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels, Lendl Simmons, Dwayne Smith
ODI fixtures v England
June 16: 1st ODI, Southampton
June 19: 2nd ODI, The Oval
June 22: 3rd ODI, Headingley
Twenty20 v England
June 24: T20 international, Trent Bridge.
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