Cricket: Axed Barath welcomes Gayle return for ODIs
West Indies opener Adrian Barath has said "it's great" Chris Gayle is returning to the one-day squad -- even if the recall has come, in part, at his expense.
Former captain Gayle has been selected for the three-match one-day series against England later this month after a 14-month dispute with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB).
The 32-year-old dynamic opening batsman, with a West Indies record 19 hundreds in 228 ODIs to his name, has not played international cricket since a defeat by Pakistan in the quarter-finals of the World Cup in March last year.
A month later, Jamaica left-hander Gayle, one of the world's most ferocious hitters and a dazzlingly quick run-getter when in form, criticised the WICB and team coach Ottis Gibson after being left out of a squad for a one-day series against Pakistan.
However several meetings between the WICB and Gayle, brokered by senior Caribbean politicians, have ended the stand-off.
Both Barath and Kieran Powell, who have struggled against England in a Test series where the West Indies are 2-0 down heading into the third and final match starting at Edgbaston here on Thursday, have been left out of the one-day squad.
But, sportingly, Barath said Tuesday: "We always welcome players into the set-up. He's been in the set-up for years and everyone has respect for Chris.
"It's great to have him back and he'll lend experience to our players," added the 22-year-old Trinidad batsman, who in 14 one-dayers has scored one hundred.
"We're looking forward to having him in the set-up and everyone will learn from him.
"Having Chris in our team (makes it) a really solid team. The depth in our batting - with Kieron Pollard, Darren Sammy, the Bravos (Dwayne and Darren), Marlon Samuels, Andre Russell - once we get going in the powerplay it would be difficult to say how could we not chase a big score or set one.
"So once we get it right, we have a good ODI team and we're working on getting there in Tests, also."
West Indies captain Darren Sammy, speaking at Edgbaston on Wednesday, was also pleased to have Gayle back on board.
"Looking at the one-day team, I'm very excited. I'm trying my best not to look too far ahead but I'm very excited about the one-day squad. We have to get through a Test match first.
"I've not spoken to him (Gayle) but he's coming in on Saturday morning," added all-rounder Sammy, who insisted Gayle would have no problems fitting in with a team ethic.
"He is a professional and will do what is necessary for the team."
The one-day series starts at Southampton on June 16 before further matches at The Oval (June 19) and Headingley (June 22) are followed by a stand-alone Twenty20 international at Trent Bridge on June 24.
