I think Chris Gayle has overplayed his hand and might not be a certainty to be selected for the West Indies team again in any form of the game.
Fair enough you pull out of the tour to South Africa because of injury but how can you in the same breath make yourself available to play for your South African T20 team a few days after?
Even if there’s more in the mortar so be it, but Gayle’s latest move should have been accompanied by an announcement stating that he will no longer be making himself available to play for the West Indies.
Otherwise, I can’t see how the current panel of selectors can consider him in the future. As far as I can see, what Gayle has done shows total disregard and disrespect for the people of the Caribbean. His action goes beyond cricket boundaries and ought to be dealt with in the appropriate manner.
I concede to the words of Gayle’s fellow countryman Bob Marley, who sang that every man has the right to decide his own destiny, but his timing seems very odd. It seemed extremely impulsive, that’s why I opined earlier that there might be more in the mortar.
Then again, there would be a break with tradition if there wasn’t some drama!
As expected,there has been debate on the issue across the region and some weighed in that the belligerent Jamaican opener clearly has a preference for the shorter version of the game at this point of his life.
Plus, that niggling back injury might only aggravate it more in the longest form of the game.There is, I suppose,only so much more that an ageing, cricket body can endure and there will be no respite if he continues playing at any level. Gayle is 35.
Therefore, won’t it be better at this time to either quit the game altogether or make himself available only for the shorter versions of cricket or simply take a break for the back to mend properly?
I don’t think a player of Gayle’s stature should put himself in a position where even some of his biggest fans are questioning his choices. In the past,Gayle stood up for what he considered to be principle on certain issues and he backed his players 100 per cent when he had the honour to captain the West Indies side.
I believed then he won the hearts of many, particularly in instances when he stood up to the West Indies Cricket Board.Why would he risk losing all of that admiration coming to the end of his career?
I realise that the coach of his South African team was quick to support Gayle’s decision, so I’m just wondering if there is a clause in his contract which tied him to the side once they reached a certain stage of the T20 competition.
Is the one paying the piper calling the tune?
If this was the case, it appears that the West Indies couldn’t match the tune of Gayle’s South African franchise.
At what point did the Jamaican realise that his troublesome back was acting up again to the point where he would be forced to quit the South African tour?
His withdrawal would have been regarded as a big blow because we were counting on his experience at the top to help negate the towering strength of the South Africans who are the world’s top-ranked team.
It is questionable whether Gayle’s replacement, Devon Smith can step up to the plate in such circumstances. His performances in the new regional season may suggest that he can but his Test record suggest otherwise.
In the three games he played before being recalled to the West Indies team, he had scores of 6 and 74 against Jamaica, 29 and 55 against Jamaica and 145 and 25 against the Leewards.
His 33 Tests have produced 1384 runs at an average of 24.17 per innings with a solitary century of 108. His last Test appearance was three years ago against Pakistan at Providence in Guyana.
Smith’s recall may even have been a surprise to him but it is hoped he will make good use of the opportunity presented by the selectors.
Andi Thornhill is an experienced,award-winning sports journalist. Email:andithornhill1@gmail.com