Gayle defends captaincy

A defiant Chris Gayle has defended his reappointment as West Indies Captain and said his passion for and commitment to West Indies cricket has remained unwavering.



The 29-year-old Jamaican, who has led the regional side for the last two years, was quick to brush aside criticism that he should have been axed as skipper ahead of the 3-Test tour of Australia, stressing he was not about to entertain negativity.



Gayle has come under fire in recent time, especially for his ill-advised comments on the captaincy during an interview with a British newspaper earlier this year in England.



His role in the recent players’ strike that decimated the West Indies side and forced selectors to hastily pull together a second string squad for the Bangladesh series and the ICC Champions Trophy, also strengthened calls for his removal.



Despite the raging debate, Gayle said he was focused on uniting the team, especially in the wake of the recent upheaval.



Gayle has also come in for criticism over his style of leadership, with many of his detractors contending that his languid, laidback demeanor was not well suited to the role of captain.



West Indies left Tuesday for Australia where they will clash with the hosts in Tests in Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.



They open their tour with a 4-day match against Queensland starting next Wednesday before the first Test bowls off in Brisbane eight days later.



The regional side will then play Tests in Adelaide (December 4-8) and in Perth (December 16-20) before returning home just before Christmas Day.