KINGSTON, Jamaica, (CMC) – Opener Chris Gayle has been overlooked in a West Indies 13-man squad for the first Test against India which starts next Monday.
The Jamaican left-hander is currently embroiled in a spat with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) over controversial comments he made during a highly charged radio interview in April.
Gayle met with West Indies team and management officials on Tuesday in an attempt to resolve the impasse, a meeting the WICB said had ended in uncertainty. Up to late yesterday, WICB directors were still meeting to decide on Gayle’s future.
The squad, announced late yesterday, will be captained by Darren Sammy and includes opener Adrian Barath who has recovered from injury.
Barath played in his first international match in nearly five months on Thursday when he turned out for West Indies in the fifth One-Day International against India at Sabina Park.
He is the only change to the squad from the second Test against Pakistan, with teenaged Barbadian opener Kraigg Brathwaite omitted.
Veteran left-hander Shiv Chanderpaul, who has also been at loggerheads with the Board, has also been retained.
However, the WICB said a meeting would be held with Chanderpaul prior to the first Test to outline their expectations.
Chanderpaul was highly critical of the WICB and officials in a recent interview during the Pakistan series, causing the Board to write him on the matter.
The second Test is scheduled for Kensington Oval in Barbados from June 28 to July 2, with the final Test to bowl off at Windsor Park in Dominica July 6-10.
SQUAD – Darren Sammy (captain), Brendan Nash (vice-captain), Adrian Barath Carlton Baugh, Devendra Bishoo, Darren Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Fidel Edwards, Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach, Marlon Samuels, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Lendl Simmons.