Gayle named for international return

West Indies selectors have recalled explosive veteran opening batsman Chris Gayle for the one-off T20 international against India at Sabina Park.

Gayle hasn’t played international cricket since the triumphant World T20 final against England in Kolkata in April 2016.

The 37-year-old is the Windies’ leading run-scorer in the shortest format of the game but has endured mixed results on his home turf in Jamaica.

In 11 Tests the powerful left-hander averages just 23.89 with one century, while his ODI record is exemplary – three hundreds and an average of 48.93 in 19 matches.

"We welcome Chris back to the T20 squad,” said Cricket West Indies chairman Courtney Browne.

“He is the most prolific batsman in this format and will add value to our team at the top of the order.

"He will get the chance to play on his home ground and against a top-quality Indian team."

It’s been nearly three years since Gayle last represented the Caribbean in Test cricket, but he has remained an sporadic presence in the limited-overs formats.

While he’s battled injury and form in 2017 – he scored only 200 runs in nine innings for Bangalore in the Indian Premier League this year – he told Fox Sports in January he wants to play on until he reaches his half-century so his daughter can watch him in action.

"I want to be the first man to play til 50," Gayle said.

"I'd love her to see me play cricket. I want her to just turn up in the stands and watch dad play a game of cricket, I'd love her to actually witness it one day.

"Age is something, it's a number. It's about the body, when you're young you can get away with a lot of things, you definitely do a lot more partying.

"You have to keep in shape and you have to start eating properly as well, now, being older now, you have to do all these things. Freshen up the body and make sure you can actually last longer."

Gayle also said a Test return is on the cards.

"I will play again," Gayle said.

"I want to score 400 runs in a Test match. I've done two triples, I think I can push it to four (hundred).

"A lot of people want to see me back in Test cricket, a lot of people.

“That's one of the reasons why I haven't announced I've retired because wherever I go, people want to see me play Test cricket, to give it one more shout, that's why I'm holding out."

West Indies T20I squad v India: Carlos Brathwaite (capt), Samuel Badree, Ronsford Beaton, Chris Gayle, Evin Lewis, Jason Mohammed, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, Rovman Powell, Marlon Samuels, Jerome Taylor, Chadwick Walton (wk), Kesrick Williams