Chris Gayle, who had sustained a hamstring injury, will return home for rehabilitation as the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) today said that the explosive opener would miss out on their subsequent series, a three-Test rubber against New Zealand.
No player has been substituted for Gayle in the 15-member squad for the last two ODIs in India, but the West Indies selectors identified Kraigg Brathwaite to take his place for the Tests in New Zealand, starting next month.
West Indies team physiotherapist C J Clark confirmed that Gayle tore his hamstring during the first ODI on Thursday at the Nehru Stadium in Kochi.
"Chris will need three to four weeks to recover from this injury, and he is returning to the Caribbean for injury management and subsequent physical rehabilitation," Clark said today.
"He will be assessed continuously over the period with a view for him to be fit for the five ODIs and two Twenty20 Internationals in New Zealand."
West Indies head coach Ottis Gibson said losing Gayle was a major setback for the side in their quest to try and remain competitive in the remaining two ODIs against India.
"He (Gayle) is our best batsman in this format," said Gibson.
"He is one of the senior players in the team and one of the players that know Indian conditions quite well. But I will always try to look at the positive and it gives an opportunity for somebody else to make a name for himself.
