Windies players to return on May 18

Chris Gayle, the West Indies captain, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Dwayne Bravo and Shivnarine Chanderpaul are expected to return to the West Indies in time for the upcoming tour of Australia next month.

The four are currently in India for the IPL, set to continue till June 1. Confirmation came from West Indies Cricket Board CEO Dr Donald Peters that the players will return four days before the first Test against Australia begins on May 22 at Sabina Park in Jamaica.

"We have informed the IPL that Gayle, Sarwan, Chanderpaul and Bravo will be returning on the 18th of May," Peters told the Trinidad Express. "Our arrangement with the IPL is that the players would be back for the (Digicel home) series."

Last month, the ICC, following their meeting in Dubai, placed certain restrictions on the IPL to prevent international fixtures being affected by the unavailability of players contracted to the League. Among the decisions taken are that "bilateral commitments of members will take precedence over IPL fixtures".

The ICC also stated that their members have "unfettered rights" to object to a player from their country being used, up to two years after they retire. The IPL and each of their franchises will respect such objection, and the player "will not be selected to play".

Trinidad and Tobago's Bravo departed for the IPL on Saturday, and will line up for the Mumbai Indians as replacement for Sri Lankan pacer Lasith Malinga. He will therefore miss the Carib Challenge final against Jamaica, which takes place in Sabina Park on Thursday.

The West Indies team will go into camp shortly before the Australia series, which starts with a three-day warm-up fixture on May 16.