BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Prominent former cricket administrator, Jackie Hendriks, has questioned the recall of veterans Chris Gayle and Fidel Edwards for the recent Twenty20 International series against Sri Lanka.
The 87-year-old, who played 20 Tests for West Indies between 1962 and 1969, said he had been “surprised” by the 41-year-old Gayle’s selection while describing selectors’ resort to the 39-year-old Edwards as a “stretch”.
Rather, Hendriks believes selectors could have invested in younger players for the three-match series which West Indies went on to win 2-1.
“I am very pleased that we did win. I was a little surprised that Chris was brought into the team at this stage,” said Hendriks, a former longstanding Jamaica Cricket Association president and Cricket West Indies director, while speaking on Starcom Radio’s Mason and Guest cricket show.
“I wondered what the reason was but of course he has been a tremendous player over the years but it’s just his age in life I was a little surprised.
“I don’t not know what things went on in their (selectors) minds. I don’t know. I certainly would’ve thought he was a little past it at this stage and having youngsters around, I would’ve gone for them.
“But of course, selectors are on the spot and they know what they’re doing.”
He added: “[Edwards was] another question mark in my books. I would’ve thought that was a little stretch but again, the selectors must’ve had some good reason for that.”
The selection of both Gayle and Edwards raised some eyebrows. While Gayle had not featured in a T20 International in two years, Edwards had not played international cricket in nearly a decade.
And neither did anything to dispel those doubts in the series, the left-handed Gayle scraping 29 runs from three outings and Edwards taking a single wicket from six overs before being dropped for the decisive final match.
Hendriks said Gayle’s outstanding service to West Indies cricket might have been difficult for selectors to ignore, especially once the player made himself available.
“I really just wondered the reason behind the selection. I thought that he was probably being brought back to strengthen the batting but … he didn’t have a very good series,” the former ICC match referee pointed out.
“I guess some other young player, to me, would have been more acceptable.”
He added: “Chris has done a lot of good yeoman service for West Indies and he said he was available so maybe that made the selectors think twice.”
West Indies are building up to their defence of the T20 World Cup scheduled to be staged in October in India.
Gayle was a member of the squad which won the last showpiece, also hosted in India five years ago.