By Tony Cozier
Whether or not Chris Gayle is restored as captain when all the players are again available is looming as the most contentious issue between the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) prior to the forthcoming tour of Australia.
Dwayne Bravo, one of those who opted out of the home series against Bangladesh in July over the long-running contractural dispute between the two bodies, yesterday publicly backed Gayle’s reinstatement.
Stating that it was “definite” that all the striking players would turn out in the forthcoming regional one-day tournament in Guyana to make themselves available for selection for Australia under the WICB’s regulation, he told the Melbourne Age newspaper in Australia that Gayle had done “a fantastic job” since he took over from the injured Ramnaresh Sarwan in 2007.
“All the guys have a lot of respect for him, and we really like the way he has handled things,” Bravo said. “One day I would love to get an opportunity (to captain) but I don’t think this is the right time. I am happy with Chris as West Indies captain.”
The ebullient all-rounder was Gayle’s deputy on the 2007-08 tour of Zimbabwe and South Africa and led the team in the final Test in South Africa when Gayle was injured.
Bravo’s comments on the captaincy follow incoming WICB chief executive Ernest Hilaire’s expressed doubts over Gayle’s reinstatement and the WIPA’s sharp response.
Hilaire based his view on Gayle’s controversial assertion in a British newspaper interview last May that he “wouldn’t be so sad” if Test cricket disappeared and that there was “a possibility” that he might give up the West Indies captaincy “shortly”.
“It is for the selection committee to discuss and make a recommendation to the board,” Hilaire told the website, Cricinfo. “Chris has said in the recent past that he is not that interested in playing Test cricket anymore. I’m very open minded, and I am not sure what the selection committee is thinking, but I would have thought in light of recent reports it would be wise to ask him the meaning of his comments.”
The WIPA countered that Hilaire’s comments “could well be considered prejudicial to the integrity of the selection process and have the potential to impact on the process of the appointment of an individual to the important position of West Indies captain”.
It was concerned that they might be “meant to serve as groundwork for the eventual victimisation” of Gayle over the captaincy.
The West Indies won three, lost five and drew six Tests under the 30-year-old Jamaican’s leadership. His record in 38 ODIs was 13 wins, 20 defeats with five no-decisions.
The first Test victory over South Africa in South Africa in December 2007 was in Gayle’s first match at the helm while the Wisden Trophy was regained from England after nine years with a hard-fought, 1-0 triumph in the series in the Caribbean earlier this year.
In spite of his stated reservations over the captaincy and Test cricket, Gayle’s belligerent left-handed batting has prospered since he took over.
He averages 46.5 in his 23 Tests in charge against 39.58 overall. The difference in ODIs is 48.7 against 40.29.
Based solely on his experience of a decade of international cricket and as the only established opening batsman, Gayle’s case appears solid. But for him to be restored the WICB would need to be assured of his commitment, under contract, for at least the coming year.
In that time, the West Indies have Test series against Australia and Sri Lanka away and South Africa at home and host the third ICC World Twenty20 tournament next April and May.
In Gayle’s self-imposed absence, 37-year-old left-handed batsman Floyd Reifer was recalled 10 years after his previous Test as captain of an inexperienced replacement team. Reifer failed with the bat and his team lost both Tests against Bangladesh and six ODIs against Bangladesh and in the Champions Trophy.
Bravo has not played a Test since May 2008 because of an operation on his left ankle.
“It’s a long while since I played a Test match and I want to get back on the Test pitch,” he told the Age. “The last time was against Australia and now I am hopefully going to be back playing Australia again. I love playing against them, they bring the best out of me.”
“They are still one of the better teams in the world,” he added. “They are not as consistent as they were before because they lost key players but we know they have a very good system down there, and we still have to respect them and understand they are still producing some of the best players in the world. It’s going to be very interesting coming down there. I’m looking forward to competing there again.”
Both Bravo, with Victoria, and Gayle, with Western Australia, have signed to play in Australia’s Twenty-20 tournament, known as The Big Bash, in January. That could become another issue as it would clash with the WICB’s first-class tournament.