By Simon Evans
Discovery Bay, Jamaica - Chris Gayle is happy to take on the West Indies captain's role again following an end to the bitter dispute between the players and the West Indies Cricket Board, the opening batsman has said.
"If I am asked to do the job I will be committed. It is always honour to captain the West Indies," Gayle told Reuters in an interview. "I am always committed to do it.
"Support-wise the players have been really good and it shouldn't be a problem. Once I am asked to do it then, definitely."
The 30-year-old hard-hitting left-hander captained West Indies to a 1-0 series win over England in the Caribbean earlier this year and looked well settled in the role until the players boycotted the home series against Bangladesh in July.
Continues Below ↓
In the midst of the conflict over contractual and payment issues, 37-year-old Barbadian Floyd Reifer took charge of a mostly makeshift team and failed to win a single match against Bangladesh or at the Champions Trophy in South Africa.
It would be a major surprise if Reifer, whose batting performances were well-below test standard, would be asked to lead the team to Australia next month.
Gayle's return to the role he first took on in 2007, however, has been questioned by new WICB chief executive Ernest Hilaire.
Hilaire suggested last month the selectors would be wise to ask Gayle to clarify his future given his comments during their tour of England in May when he said he did not see a long future for himself in test cricket and preferred the Twenty20 format.
He also said he was looking forward to a break from the pressures of captaincy.
But, having had time off during the dispute, Gayle is clearly refreshed, willing to take on the responsibility again and no longer interested in discussions about his preferences for different formats of the game.
Continues...
|
StumbleUpon
Reddit
Digg
Delicious
Newsvine
Facebook
muti
Twitter
