Chris Gayle paid the price for his infamous radio interview in April as he was unnoticed for the first two ODIs against India. Pollard makes the cut. Chris, who earned the Orange Cap in IPL for achieve most figure of runs, has not been incorporated for either the ODIs or the 12-man squad for Saturday's Twenty20 match against India in Trinidad. Pacer Kemar Roach will rest for the T20 game as he is occupied in some heavy-duty workload.
The only change from the XI that humbled Pakistan in St Lucia last month is the addition of uncapped left-arm Jamaican speedster Krishmar Santokie. There was no place for Pollard and Dwayne Bravo as they have been out of T20 touch. They missed most of the recent Caribbean Twenty20 tournament, which is part of the WICB assortment criteria.
Chris open war with the plank became his undoing. His animated comments on radio, describing his anger at not organism built-in in the squad for the Pakistan series, did not go down well with the WICB. Gayle has spent the past six weeks playing in the IPL with Bangalore and was named as the Player of the contest.
The WI Board, while naming the squad, explain Chris oversight.Chris Gayle will not be considered for selection to the West Indies team before an intended meeting with himself, the selection group, the WICB organization and the West Indies team management,the statement said.The selection group views this meeting as necessary as a result of Gayle's commentary in a widely exposed radio interview in Jamaica.
Jerome Taylor got the axe too. Just like Chris, he said the WICB did not care about how he was getting better from an injury until after he had left for the IPL. The selection group minced no words when it said that the player must play a whole season of regional cricket to prove his fitness.
Opener Adrian Barath has made a return to small-time cricket in Trinidad but is still undergoing the rehabilitation process after pain a serious hamstring wound before the World Cup. Reports say he will be match-fit for the Tests. Following Saturday's Twenty20 in Trinidad; the two sides will lock horns in two ODIs at the same venue, before heading to Antigua to carry on the series.
Twenty20 squad:
Lendl Simmons, Andre Fletcher (wk), Darren Bravo, Marlon Samuels, Danza Hyatt, Darren Sammy (capt), Christopher Barnwell, Andre Russell, Ashley Nurse, Devendra Bishoo, Ravi Rampaul, Krishmar Santokie.
Squad for first two ODIs:
Lendl Simmons, Kirk Edwards, Darren Bravo, Marlon Samuels, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard, Darren Sammy (capt), Carlton Baugh (wk), Andre Russell, Anthony Martin, Devendra Bishoo, Ravi Rampaul.