Gayle likely to return from IPL for Australia tests |
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Thursday April 10, 04:07 AM
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By Simon Evans
PORT OF SPAIN (Reuters) - West Indies captain Chris Gayle said on Wednesday he was more than likely to play in the opening test with Australia next month even though it clashes with the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Gayle and fellow West Indies batsmen Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shivnarine Chanderpaul have signed up with teams in the IPL which begins on April 18.
With the Twenty20 competition running during the first two tests against Australia there were doubts over whether the trio would return from the multi-million dollar IPL. Gayle will earn an $800,000 annual fee with his team Kolkata.
"We haven't discussed anything but we know the rules already, you have to get permission from your board, so obviously it is more than likely you have to come back and play," Gayle told reporters.
"I don't know about the other two," he added when asked about the intentions of Chanderpaul and Sarwan.
Gayle had declined to confirm his availability for the Australia games but the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) said the players would only be given permission to play in the tournament up to the start of the Australia tour.
The final of the IPL will be on June 1 -- the second day of the second test between West Indies and Australia in Antigua.
Gayle's side play Sri Lanka at the Queen's Park Oval in the first of three one-dayers on Thursday. They meet at the Oval again on Saturday before the final match in St. Lucia on April 15.
West Indies beat Sri Lanka in last week's second test to level the two-test series 1-1.
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