Gayle to have surgery on back condition

The Melbourne Renegades will be sweating on the fitness of star West Indies recruit Chris Gayle after he announced he will have surgery on his troublesome back.

Gayle said he would be out of action for "two to three months" and would return to cricket "maybe in December".

The Renegades start their Twenty20 Big Bash League season against the Brisbane Heat at the Gabba on December 19, and play their first home game at Etihad Stadium on December 23 against the Sydney Sixers.

Quick Link: BBL|05 Fixtures

Gayle revealed the surgery after his side the Jamaica Tallawah's were eliminated from the Caribbean Premier League Twenty20 competition after a defeat to the Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel in the first semi-final.

"I have a charity game on the second (of August), but after that I will be out of cricket for maybe two to three months," Gayle said

"I am going to do a surgery on my back.

"So I need some time for recovery.

"Maybe December, before I actually get back in cricket as well.

"You have got to wish me luck with that surgery and then I will be back strong.

Gayle has long suffered with back issues – he missed a group stage game during the World Cup and had a pain-killing injection to play the quarter-final against New Zealand.

Gayle last played a Test in September 2014 but the Jamaican has remained prolific in white-ball cricket. He hit 215 against Zimbabwe at the World Cup and has been in fine fettle for various T20 sides around the globe this year.

Gayle hit 491 runs at 40.91 in 14 Indian Premier League matches for Royal Challengers Bangalore this year, with a top score of 117. He was also the tournament's top six-hitter with 38 blows clearing the fence.

He hit an unbeaten 151 for Somerset in England's domestic T20 competition and finished with 328 runs from three matches, hitting 29 sixes.

And he is the CPL's leading run-scorer with 430 – more than 60 ahead of his nearest rival – with the tournament's top two scores of 105 and an unbeaten 90, and 33 sixes in 10 matches.

Video: the always-charismatic Chris Gayle returns to the BBL

He is expected to open the batting for the Renegades alongside Australia's twenty20 captain Aaron Finch, with fellow West Indies power-hitter Dwayne Bravo returning to the club for BBL|05.

It would be Gayle's second stint in the Big Bash League after he played the opening two seasons of the BBL with the Sydney Thunder. He also previously played with the state-based version of the domestic T20 competition in Western Australia.

Finch told cricket.com.au he was delighted to have Gayle as his opening partner for BBL|05.

"It's huge to sign Chris Gayle," said Finch.

"He's someone who has dominated this format over a long period of time.

"Along with AB (de Villiers), there is not many of them in the same bracket. He's the world's best I think.

"He dominates a game, he can win a game by himself in very limited time.

"To have signed someone like him to open the batting with is going to be a huge bonus for the Renegades but also the fans who are going to get to see cricket's biggest hitter at Etihad stadium."

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