Chris Gayle is set to make his Windies return in the upcoming five-match ODI series against England

[Ankit_sharma03]

Opening batsman Chris Gayle has been recalled to the West Indies one-day international (ODI) squad for the first two games of this month’s five-match series against England.

Gayle has not played for West Indies since he scored 73 in an 18-run ODI defeat against Bangladesh last July and opted out of the tour to India and Bangladesh in October and November.

The 39-year-old, who has scored 9,727 runs and racked up 23 centuries in 284 ODIs, was recalled by the West Indies cricket board as it fine-tunes the squad ahead of the World Cup in England next May.

Gayle was West Indies’ highest run scorer in the previous World Cup in 2015, making 340 runs at an average of 56.66.

Spin bowler Ashley Nurse has returned from injury while 23-year-old wicketkeeper Nicholas Pooran earns his first call-up to the national side.

Also read: A West Indian resurgence is good news for Test cricket: Ayaz Memon

“He (Pooran) is clearly a young player with undoubted talent and we believe he can add value to our middle order,” chairman of selectors Courtney Browne said in a statement.

“As we continue our Cricket World Cup preparations, the upcoming series against the top-ranked ODI side is a great opportunity to gauge where we are as a team.”

The one-day international series begins in Barbados on Feb. 20 with the first two matches to be played at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown.

West Indies are 2-0 up in the test series, with the third and final test starting on Saturday in St Lucia.

West Indies’ full ODI squad: Jason Holder (captain), Chris Gayle, Devendra Bishoo, Darren Bravo, Fabian Allen, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Evin Lewis, Ashley Nurse, Keemo Paul, Nicholas Pooran, Kemar Roach, Rovman Powell, Oshane Thomas

 

Link - https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/chris-gayle-back-in-the-west-indies-team-for-england-odi-series/story-udAcNHyFl7gi0hL3qOfDvO.html

[Ankit_sharma03]

Gayle

Lewis

Hope

Hetmyer

Bravo

Pooran 

holder

 

this cud be fun 

[sandeep]

Gayle can be extremely effective in ODIs.  He has figured out how to simply bide his time, then catch up by hitting 6s as soon as the ball is anywhere near his area.  If he manages to stay fit, and is able survive the initial overs when the ball does a bit, he can score big hundreds in ODIs.  

[zen]

I am expecting most of the WI players to be available for the WC .... this will make them the dark horse

[maniac]

Where is Andre Pandya I mean Russell?

[maniac]

12 minutes ago, sandeep said:

Gayle can be extremely effective in ODIs.  He has figured out how to simply bide his time, then catch up by hitting 6s as soon as the ball is anywhere near his area.  If he manages to stay fit, and is able survive the initial overs when the ball does a bit, he can score big hundreds in ODIs.  

In T20s he can get away surviving 2-3 overs and taking apart the weak links. Can he do that for 7-8 overs in ODIs at this age remains to be seen. He had much better technique and defense  in his prime but don’t think he plays any long format any more.

[Nikola]

No need of such players who have no time to play for nation other than just important tournaments. I would say give chance to other openers who worked hard to get the spot. Gayle was good but he is already almost 40 and let him go now.

[maniac]

Just now, Nikola said:

No need of such players who have no time to play for nation other than just important tournaments. I would say give chance to other openers who worked hard to get the spot. Gayle was good but he is already almost 40 and let him go now.

Agreed but Narine and Russell will definitely raise their team. Gayle looks disposable now.

[sandeep]

38 minutes ago, maniac said:

In T20s he can get away surviving 2-3 overs and taking apart the weak links. Can he do that for 7-8 overs in ODIs at this age remains to be seen. He had much better technique and defense  in his prime but don’t think he plays any long format any more.

I remember when WI toured England, Gayle played in the 1st ODI, and both him and Lewis were playing a bunch of dot-balls, but still hitting at least 1 six every over.  And managed a very nice run-rate for 7-8 overs.  Then Gayle threw it away.  His running is very poor, his defense and eye against top shelf pace maybe very suspect.  But he can totally destroy the likes of Plunkett and co.  A old, declining Gayle is still twice the threat that a Munro or Seifert can be. 

[Cricketics]

1 hour ago, Nikola said:

No need of such players who have no time to play for nation other than just important tournaments. I would say give chance to other openers who worked hard to get the spot. Gayle was good but he is already almost 40 and let him go now.

Gayle turned up for World Cup qualifiers. He has been committed to LOI's.

 

I would give him benefit of doubt for World Cup. He makes the team better and sends some shivers still to the opponents.

 

Had he skipped the World Cup quarriers, then I would have left him out. 

[maniac]

1 minute ago, Cricketics said:

Gayle turned up for World Cup qualifiers. He has been committed to LOI's.

 

I would give him benefit of doubt for World Cup. He makes the team better and sends some shivers still to the opponents.

 

Had he skipped the World Cup quarriers, then I would have left him out. 

Apart from circus leagues has he even played any 50 overs cricket since then? Don’t think he is playing Pura Cup or whatever their domestic competition is called

[Cricketics]

Just now, maniac said:

Apart from circus leagues has he even played any 50 overs cricket since then? Don’t think he is playing Pura Cup or whatever their domestic competition is called

Pura Cup used to be Australia's Sheffield Shield.

 

Anyway, he has played a bit, not a whole lot but you know he is not fit and you reserve such players. He barely gets through t20 leagues these days, but you use your best weapons in big tournaments and if he is available, I will take him.

 

Same can be said for Malinga. Malinga is like Gayle. He gets injured too often. He hasn't played anything until recently he came back because he realized he did not play much cricket for Lanka as much as he wanted to because of injuries. Yes, he might not be the same bowler any more, but if fit, I would take Malinga to World Cup too.

 

Experience matters for such teams like Lanka and Windies. 

[maniac]

Just now, Cricketics said:

Pura Cup used to be Australia's Sheffield Shield.

 

Anyway, he has played a bit, not a whole lot but you know he is not fit and you reserve such players. He barely gets through t20 leagues these days, but you use your best weapons in big tournaments and if he is available, I will take him.

 

Same can be said for Malinga. Malinga is like Gayle. He gets injured too often. He hasn't played anything until recently he came back because he realized he did not play much cricket for Lanka as much as he wanted to because of injuries. Yes, he might not be the same bowler any more, but if fit, I would take Malinga to World Cup too.

 

Experience matters for such teams like Lanka and Windies. 

My bad. For some reason I thought their domestics was called Pura Cup.

 

Anyways Malinga has played lot more cricket recently than Gayle.

[Cricketics]

2 minutes ago, maniac said:

My bad. For some reason I thought their domestics was called Pura Cup.

 

Anyways Malinga has played lot more cricket recently than Gayle.

Yes, and actually bowlers are more scary to take to a tournament overseas than a batsman is as you always have more batting options than bowling options in a squad. 

 

Yet, I say both are assets for their team.

 

Like Sandeep mentioned above, a good solid Gayle is still a threat. I do expect him to light up the tournament. He always does in few games here and there, and will do the same. NO harm in having one big stalwart senior player in your team among young players who are impressing day by day.

 

I expect Windies to fair better than most other countries in the World Cup. I think they will get better as the tournament goes and could beat some top sides whom we consider as semi finalist contenders. 

 

 

[Zero_Unit]

WI needs Narine and Russell back aswell. dJ Bravo would have been a nice addition

[flamy]

I like it. I have them as my shadow surfers for the #4 spot.

[Temujin Khaghan]

Much better team than Pakistan