SEE: 'Gayle is still a force to be reckoned with'

'His presence alone is something that could get the better of an opposition.'

Former West Indies captain Daren Ganga believes veteran opener Chris Gayle is still a force to reckon with at the international level and that the 40 year old should continue to play for the West Indies in the T20 format as he is capable of making a big impact at the T20 World Cup to be held later this year.

Gayle has not featured in Test cricket for the last six years while he hinted at retirement from ODIs after the 2019 World Cup before having a late change of mind after the end of the tournament.

However, he was not included in the West Indies team which toured India in December for a three-match T20I series and three-match ODI series.

Gayle returned to action in the Bangladesh Premier League in January and looks keen to make a comeback to the West Indies team, with an eye on the World T20 to be held in Australia in October-November.

"Chris Gayle is still very much a force to be reckoned with at the international level, his presence alone is something that could get the better of an opposition. So, I would not want to wipe him straight away from the international format," Ganga tells Rediff.com's Harish Kotian.

"I think maybe confining him to T20 cricket might be the approach, but he is in his last days as an international cricketer, and he should be able to bow out from the game with the highest of honour because of his contributions as a player," he added.

Ganga is in India as part of the West Indies Legends team which will take part in the Unacademy Road Safety World Series.

The tournament kicks off at the Wankhede stadium on Saturday, March 7, when the Brian Lara-led West Indies team take on the Sachin Tendulkar-led India Legends. Australia Legends, Sri Lanka Legends, South Africa are the other teams taking part in the T20 tournament.

SEE what DAREN GANGA says on Chris Gayle

VIDEO: Hitesh Harisinghani/Rediff.com