(Photo by Jan Kruger-IDI/IDI via Getty Images)
West Indies have added big-hitting Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels for their upcoming five-match ODI series against England in late September.
The West Indies tour of England got off to a lacklustre start last week as they were dismantled in every department to lose by an innings and 209 runs, and the West Indies have responded by recalling two veterans they showed signs of moving on from in recent times.
Gayle, 37, will make his first appearance in ODIs for more than two years and get a chance to add to his 9,221 runs in the 50-over format.
The chairman of selectors, Courtney Browne, explained the reason for recalling Gayle having opted for Evin Lewis and Kyle Hope to open the batting in the ODI series against India earlier this summer.
“With regards to the selection of the ODI squad, the panel welcomes back Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels, who will both add value to our batting and help with the nurturing of the young batsmen in the team.”
Samuels also gets a chance to stay in the fold after a number of on-field controversies caused the West Indies selectors to drop him in 2016.
A veteran of 187 ODIs, Samuels will face Ben Stokes once again after their war of words in the T20 World Cup, which saw the Jamaican fined 30% of his match fee for abusive language.
This following on from an exchange of taunting salutes during England’s tour of the West Indies in 2015.
With signs of success in Tests looking glum for the tourists after their trouncing at Edgbaston, the T20 world champions will be aiming to get back to winning ways in a T20 match at Chester-le-Street on the 16 September before the first ODI gets underway at Old Trafford three days later.
West Indies squad in full: Jason Holder (capt), Sunil Ambris, Devendra Bishoo, Miguel Cummins, Chris Gayle, Kyle Hope, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Evin Lewis, Jason Mohammed, Ashley Nurse, Rovman Powell, Marlon Samuels, Jerome Taylor, Kesrick Williams.
