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The West Indies should show the door to captain Chris Gayle after his latest pronouncements about his future in Test cricket.
Gayle has grumbled about the extra burden which captaincy brings and the extra-curricular activities and travelling which the job entails. He has also sounded the death knell of Test cricket and says that Twenty20 will be the real thing in the future.
If Gayle feels that way, what is the point of him carrying on with the team? He can stick to the Indian Premier League (IPL) or any other Twenty20 tournament and leave the West Indies when they are on a slight upswing.
The West Indies board should talk to him urgently and if he still has the same views, then they should tell him to go now.
There is no doubting Gayle's tremendous contribution both as a player and captain. He is the main reason for the West Indies turning the corner in all forms of the game.
But if a player wishes to give up Test cricket for the 20-over slog-fest, then so be it. Probably Gayle prefers cash to commitment and country.
Whatever Gayle says, Test cricket will not die. It has survived for over 130 years and will continue to do so.
Gayle has forgotten the joy his team brought when they beat England in the recent home Test series. Dismal performances and lack of commitment were the main causes for the dwindling crowds in the West Indies for over two decades.
But they came back when they realised something special was happening. And they will come back if the team continues to do well.
The Twenty20 format is new, exciting and has come to stay. And it too will survive like Test cricket.
But it will never showcase a top class player's skills. Technique and temperament will not be tested enough.
If Gayle wants to be known for his slam-bang achievements rather than his good Test record then so be it.
New Zealand's all-rounder Jacob Oram has also indicated that he may opt for a Twenty20 career. More will follow.
The blame must fall on the International Cricket Council (ICC) and some of the money-grabbing cricket boards. The ICC will have to act quickly to save the structure of cricket.
The players are constantly grumbling about burnout due to excessive cricket. Twenty20 tournaments are adding to the pressure.
The ICC was caught unawares by the popularity of this shortest version. But now they know that serious problems will arise in the future.
Going by form, the impotent ICC will probably act after the deed is done. And talented cricketers like Gayle and Oram will probably play to the gallery instead of showing their true worth as genuine cricketers.
The greedy boards will, by then, have their coffers overflowing. Cricket will be poorer.
