Chris Gayle to be considered if he withdraws statements about WICB

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Chris Gayle to be considered if he withdraws statements about WICB

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Chris Gayle will be considered for selection for West Indies if he complies with WICB requirements.

20 October,2011 01:50 pm

Chris Gayle will only be considered for selection for West Indies if he retracts statements he has made about the West Indies board and its officers, the WICB has said in a statement.The board will appoint a facilitator to assist Gayle in complying with their requirements. The decision comes after the last meeting between Gayle and WICB chief Ernest Hilaire, on August 25, had more positive results then previous interactions between the parties.Relations between Gayle and the board had broken down after he gave an interview in April to a radio station during which he was scathing about both the board and coach Ottis Gibson. After attempts at reconciliation failed, and Gayle was left out of the squad for the whole of the home series against India, he released a long and emotional public statement, in which he traced the evolution of the dispute back to 2009, when, he said, Hilaire had cast doubts on his ability to captain the team.The board has now said it recognises that Gayle can contribute meaningfully to the West Indies team, but will only select him if he withdraws his criticisms. The WICB said they had told Gayle of their decision and were waiting for his response.Clive Lloyd, the former West Indies captain and now WICB director, said it was important to get a senior player like Gayle back in the West Indies setup and that it would be wise for Gayle to comply with the boards requirements.Gayle has not played for West Indies since the 2011 World Cup. Since then, he has been an integral part of Royal Challengers Bangalores squad in their IPL and Champions League Twenty20 campaigns, finishing as the leading run-getter in the IPL.His saga with the board had escalated to a level where the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) heads of government had become involved. West Indies are currently touring Bangladesh, after which they will go to India to play three Tests and five ODIs.