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No. Dont.

1) a guy who said he won't be sad if test cricket was to die

2) a guy who chose franchisee T20s over West Indies games

3) a guy who became a trendsetter for franchisee T20 west Indian cricketers

4) a guy who last plated a test 5 years back

This guy is an opportunist, plain and simple. He is a damn good cricketer, but somewhere down the road, decided west Indies cricket wasn't for him, and moved on.

And to add to this, he's not fit. Can't last 50 overs, is a liability in the field, can't run the quick single while batting, will surely weigh the team down, if picked

In reply to brians_da_best

Add, if Lara wasn't given a farewell test, then Gayle shouldn't get one.

In reply to brians_da_best


i agree

not commenting on the Lara issue. He was a different kind of person. Certainly did not beg for a final test to retire in fame and fortune. He just left when he thought the time was up without making a scene. Type of fella that we all admire. I say if Gayle wants a final test, he has to show he deserves a pick. He should first try to get into the A team series and show he is fit for that length of cricket match. We cannot afford liabilities when playing the No. 1 team in teh world. We should have learnt our lesson from the Russell debacle in the WC (btw I hope that he is recovering well from his surgery. Any news on this?)

In reply to Drapsey

I don't think Lara wanted a farewell test either. He woke up one day, during the 2007 World Cup, and decided he didn't want to play anymore. And that was it.

He had given an interview in Australia a few months back, where he stated how much he was looking forward to playing in the England tour over the summer, so I was surprised when he decided to retire from all formats.

Chanderpaul deserved a farewell, and I think he wanted one last series, too, given the record he could have had.

Gayle, in my view, is nowhere near these two legends and great servants of West Indies cricket, and doesn't deserve any farewell. His farewell was supposed to be the world cup, if he wants to play beyond, he needs to get fit, play regionals, and earn a pick, just like any other player. That simple

In reply to brians_da_best

many wrongs dont make a right

and it;s never too late to make a wrong, right

In reply to brians_da_best

You are blunt and very truthful in your appraisal about Gayle. I would not have had the scrotum to be that frank. But, truth is the truth. Gayle is a fellow Jamaican who has brought me very happy moments hitting bowlers with disdain.
But, for years he has been about making money and to hell with West Indies cricket was his typical mantra. No other great players from any other country treat theirs like Gayle treated us in test cricket especially.

Move on gracefully Gayle. Be remembered with joy we can and don't ask for what you do not deserve for many reasons.

In reply to doosra

You are not talking about a player who is currently playing test cricket. Gayle has not played test cricket for 5 years and has not played 4 day cricket in a long, long time. He can barely last playing 50 over cricket.

West Indies cricket is already so bad, allyuh want to reduce it it to dollyhouse cricket.

I just cannot understand the reasoning of some of us. As a poster said, let him qualify to to play his last test.

He has not earned that right.

Let him have his final matches in 50-overs of T20. I see nothing wrong with these formats.

SMFH.

In reply to solidrock

But, for years he has been about making money a

I am not a Gayle fan but what is wrong with maximizing your income?

In reply to nitro

Nothing. That is his choice and we respect that. But, if money comes before WI cricket then respect the consequences too.

In reply to solidrock

Thanks.

And thats the reality with Gayle. A damn good cricketer, but certainly not in the league of Lara, chanderpaul and all the legends we have had in the past. He can call himself universe boss all he wants, he probably is that, on the T20 circuit, but nothing more than that.

The minute the T20 revolution gathered momentum, gayle was off. And for most part of the last 10 years or so, has represented the West Indies, sporadically, and at his convenience.

At age 39, he realised he wanted to play another world cup, so suddenly he made himself available for the qualifiers and so on. If anything he was smarter than his fellow T20 cronies, who just gave some pathetic media interviews stating they were available. Gayle actually made himself available and eligible by playing. Smart guy, this.

But someone like him, as good as he is, doesn't deserve a west Indies farewell game. If he didn't want the world cup to be his farewell, that's too bad for him.

Maybe he should get a farewell from his IPL team, big bash team, Bangladesh t20 team and wherever else he has been diligently playing over the last decade

In reply to solidrock

Sure but he has represented the WI well for almost two decades so what is wrong with giving him a farewell test? It is not like we have some super talent knocking on the door in this dead format.

In reply to nitro

He represented the west Indies well for one decade, and sporadically for the second decade

In reply to Courtesy

the body of work is important, imho

In reply to doosra

Who is arguing that body of work is not important?

Well, for the less discerning, that body of work should qualify him to play any time he wishes even after the age of 50.

Body of work is useful, so to are the importance of context and circumstance, denying another youngster the opportunity (opportunity cost), the message you send to other youngsters.

How ridiculous can we be.

In reply to brians_da_best

Fair enough but it would bring some interest to a dead format.