T&T official wants Gayle axed as Windies captain

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC):

Trinidad and Tobago's (T&T) cricket chief Azim Bassarath has berated Chris Gayle's leadership of the West Indies team and says the time has come for the talismanic Jamaican to be axed.

Endorsing Gayle's rejection as captain for Jamaica's Caribbean Twenty20 campaign, Bassarath said the 30-year-old opener lacked the ability to carry out the job he has now held for almost three years.

"I have said it before that after observing Chris Gayle for the T20 World Cup, I am of the view that he is not a good captain," Bassarath said.

"... The JCA (Jamaica Cricket Association) seems to have supported my view that he is not the best choice. I personally think that he is a poor captain."

He added: "I hope that the WICB (West Indies Cricket Board) can be brave enough to make the move and remove Gayle as leader of the regional team. I think that they must pick the best leader to take the team forward."

Gayle was overlooked as Jamaica's captain in favour of Tamar Lambert for the Caribbean T20 which bowls off in Barbados next week.

Bold move

The bold move by the JCA selectors sent shockwaves throughout the regional cricket fraternity sparking speculation over Gayle's continued leadership of the West Indies team.

Bassarath, also a West Indies Cricket Board director, identified current T&T captain Daren Ganga as a possible option to lead the regional side especially - in the shortest form of the game.

"I am of the view that Daren Ganga is a better leader and should be given the chance to lead the team in the shorter form of the game," Bassarath said.

"He impressed all the cricketing pundits during the Champions League and I think he is the right man for the job.

"When it comes to Test cricket, Ganga has to prove himself by scoring more runs in the regional tournament, but even in that arena he would prove to be more successful as a captain compared to Gayle."

Since assuming his duties as captain in earnest on the tour of Zimbabwe in November, 2007, Gayle has led the West indies in 20 Tests, 53 one-day internationals and 17 T20 internationals.

While his batting has prospered, under his watch West Indies have won just three Tests, 17 ODIs and six T20s.

Ganga, meanwhile, led West Indies in two Tests in England during the 2007 tour after then captain Ramnaresh Sarwan was ruled out with injury, but the regional side suffered heavy defeats in both matches.

" I personally think that he is a poor captain." - Bassarath