Chris Gayle contemplating retirement from Test cricket

Chris Gayle will definitely be missed by the West Indies

Former West Indian skipper Chris Gayle has indicated that he could possibly retire from the longest version of the game soon. The big Jamaican has been battling the stress of recurring back ailments which, unfortunately, may bring the curtains down on his Test career. The flamboyant opener plans to give it a detailed thought once the Cricket World Cup is over.

Gayle dismisses talk of disinterest in Tests

The 25-year-old still values the oldest form of the game and is deeply passionate about it despite facing criticism over his interest in the format.

“I do (feel passionate about playing Tests), to be honest with you. It is just that lately this back problem has kind of pushed me away a bit from Test cricket. To be able to go five days, it has been tough,” he said.

The West Indians have a packed scheduled ahead comprising of Test series against England, Australia, Sri Lanka and Australia again. It is also being speculated that the Caribbean team may return to India to finish last year’s abandoned tour.

Age catching up with Gayle

Age seems to have caught up with Gayle and the vast amount of cricket that he has played over the years hasn’t helped his physical ability either. As the newest member of the 200-club in ODIs, he said: “I haven’t sorted my situation yet, which is the back problem. That is another concern because I’ve been playing cricket straight on the road and really didn’t get a chance to spend the time and give the back as much time to heal.”

The Test triple centurion has not been a constant face in whites for the Windies and has only managed to play only 18 out of the 41 Tests since March 2010. His team was further let down when he failed to play against Zimbabwe on home turf recently.

To add to his anguish, he was further dropped from the Test series against the Proteas late last year.

Gayle has played his Test cricket with style and vigour. He has captivated and motivated many to bat with a carefree attitude. His 15 centuries and 37 fifties in 103 Tests are a testimony to this fact. He has also been a decent off-spinner in whites, picking up 73 wickets.