Trinidad, August 14: Virat Kohli and other Indian cricket team members gave a special send-off to Chris Gayle during the third and final ODI here at Port of Spain on Wednesday (August 14) and it also fuelled the talk that the Jamaican left-hander has played his final ODI for the Windies.
Gayle made 72 runs before driving Khaleel Ahmed uppishly to Kohli at mid-off. Gayle made 72 runs off 41 balls and added over 100 runs with fellow opener Evin Lewis, putting Indian bowlers to sword.
But Indian cricketers swarmed around him once he got out and congratulated and hugged him. Kohli even did that Gayle-gig with him and that sparked the speculation that Gayle has turned out for the final time for Windies in ODIs.
He has not announced retirment from any formats but his career as far as ODIs are concerned is seemed to be over. Gayle has not found a place in the Windies squad for the first Test against India starting on August 22 at Antigua.
The 39-year-old Gayle may get a chance to make a final Test appearance when the teams square off at his hometown in Kingston, Jamaica. And Windies managment and Gayle himself considering the option of him appearing in next year's World T20 to be held in Australia.
Gayle completed 300 ODIs in the last match, and also went past Brian Lara to become West Indies' highest run-getter in ODIs. Gayle has also played 103 Tests and 58 T20Is for Windies.