KINGSTON, Jamaica (CMC) – Jamaica’s cricket authorities have confirmed West Indies batsman Chris Gayle as captain for the WICB President’s Cup later this month.

Gayle, the estranged West Indies captain, was one of 18 players named to prepare for the tournament which runs from October 28 to November 5 in Guyana.

The 30-year-old left-hander was one of the elite Windies players who opted not to make himself available for the Bangladesh series here in the Caribbean earlier this year, as a contracts dispute raged between the West Indies Cricket Board and the West Indies Players Association.

As a result, Gayle and the top tier players were overlooked for the recent ICC Champions Trophy in South Africa where a makeshift Windies side lost all three of their matches.

Gayle has led the Windies for the last two years, after taking over from the injured Ramnaresh Sarwan in 2007.

David Bernard Jr, who broke the ranks with WIPA and represented the Windies against Bangladesh, is expected to be appointed vice-captain.